1 U IN TROD UCTION OF KA CING 



way, were somewhat tyrannical, horses of all kinds 

 became exceedingly scarce, and the breed was by no 

 means improved. When England was threatened 

 with invasion by Philip of Spain, Queen Elizabeth 

 could only muster three thousand cavalry to oppose 

 his landing. 



Blunderville, who at this time wrote on the art of 

 riding, asserts that these horses were a very poor lot. 

 The secret of crossing had not been discovered. He 

 says that they were only fitted for slow draught work. 

 The one light horse which he speaks of as showing a 

 turn of speed, he says did eighty miles in one day. 



Regular races were at first started without the course 

 being marked out. They ran to ' train scent ' across 

 country, the most difficult courses being selected ; 

 mounted men were stationed at intervals to fiog on 

 the beaten horses. About this time the prize of the 

 silver bell was started ; previously the winner received 

 a wooden bell, which was decorated with flowers. 

 This was now exchanged for one of silver. 



The first rules of racing which were of any im- 

 portance were drawn up in the last year of the reign of 

 James I., who was very fond of sport. His ideas of 

 racing in Scotland were merely ' time races,' but the 

 distances run were at times cruelly long. His favourite 

 courses were at Croydon and on Enfield Chase. The 

 Turkish and Barbary blood was introduced as a 

 cross, but it was by no means successful ; so he 

 tried the infusion of Arab blood, doubtless having 

 heard of the magnificent Arab which was given five 

 centuries previously to St. Andrew's, and whose off- 

 spring had evidently made a name for themselves. 

 He therefore purchased a fine Arab for ^500 from 



