ANNALS OF THE TURF. 



sports of the turf on the most liberal and equitable basis, and let her, 

 in order to give increased value to her racing stock, speedily pub- 

 lish a STUD BOOK. 



Origin and progressive improvement of the race horse. It cannot 

 but be an interesting task to inquire into the origin of the turf 

 horse, and to ascertain the means by which he has been brought 

 to his present high state of perfection. The English writers main 

 tain the theory, that the horse genus was supposed to have consist- 

 ed originally of two grand divisions or species : the silken-haired, 

 flat, and fine bone courser, and the full bodied, coarse, and rough- 

 haired steed, adapted to draught and the more laborious purposes. 

 From these two original species may fairly bo derived all those 

 numerous varieties which" we at this day witness in different parts 

 of the world. Soil and climate most undoubtedly have considerable 

 effects, through a long course of agos, in producing varieties of 

 form, colour, character, and properties. The largest horses are 

 generally found to bo the production of the rich low lands of the 

 temperate climates, abounding in rich and succulent food. The 

 lino skinned, with elegant symmetry, dry and solid bones, large 

 tendons, and the highest degree of muscular energy, in fact, bearing 

 the general characteristics of the blood horse, are bred under warm 

 and southern skies, upon a dry soil, on the hills of the desert. The 

 hypothesis is entertained, that. Arabia is the native or breeding 

 country of the courser, and that part of Europe, formerly denomi- 

 n.tU'd the Netherlands, or Low Countries, the original soil of the 

 !argo draught horse. Other writers, however, contend, that all 

 horses are derived from the same single primitive species, and that 

 varieties are purely accidental and the effects of varying soil and 

 climate. This opinion, however specious, is not sanctioned by 

 ml experience in allowing full force to the arguments derived 

 from the effect of soil and climate, yet it is equally true there are 

 certain landmarks and boundaries of specific character, in both the 

 animal and vegetable creation, which nature will never permit to 

 be passed. 



No length of time or naturalization upon the marshy soil of Bel- 

 gium, it may safely be pronounced, would be sufficient to transform 

 the high bred, silken and bounding courser of Arabia, into the 

 coarse, bluff and fixed horse of the former country; nor would the 

 sojournment of the latter, during any number of ages, in the south, 

 have the effect of endowing him with these peculiar properties of 

 body, which distinguish the aboriginal southern horse. The inter- 

 change just supposed, would no donht have the etl'eel of increasing 

 the bulk of the courser and reducing that of the draft horse; but 

 ihe natural characteristics of each, would remain unassailable by 

 any other medium than that of intcrcopulation through which 

 \ve know from experience they may be merged, and in effect an- 

 mhihited. 



Arabia Deserta is allowed to be the breeding country of the purest 

 and highest bred racers; that is to say, possessed in the highest de- 

 gree of those qualities which distinguish the species ; and these are 

 sleekness and llexibilky of the skin, and general symmetry from the 

 uead to the lowest extremities. The eye full and shining, the head 



