for the several stud horses imported from Persia in 1689 — the sama 

 year the Byerly Turk first attracted attention in England, and the 

 breeding from Oriental sires became more popular. It is quite 

 probable that the Dutch realized the plausibility of this new venture 

 in English horse breeding and decided to furnish the Cape with 

 Oriental horses. 



Nothing definite about the size, color, and exterior character- 

 istics of the early importations from Persia to South Africa is men- 

 tioned anywhere but working back from the characteristics of their 

 descendents of about 178 years later — up to the time when the im- 

 portation of English Thoroughbreds became very marked — we have 

 ample justification in claiming for the Cape Horse an origin simi- 

 lar to that of the Thoroughbreds from the noblest strains of all 

 warm-blooded horses — the libyan of North Africa, through its 

 Arab, Barb, and Persian types. 



About 1778 several horses were imported from South America 

 and ' ' they were highly esteemed for their beauty, their gentleness, 

 and good service. "^^ 



In that year the viceroyalty of the River Plate was created and 

 the importation of animal products assumed greater proportions. 

 Large droves of horses roamed over the plains in a wild state. They 

 were the descendents of the horses abandoned by Don Pedro de 

 Mondoza in 1538 and were of Andalusian origin being a cross be- 

 tween the Barb and the Arabian and became as famous as the Barbs. 



The estancieros (farmers) of those days selected the best for 

 domestic service and the good qualities of the original stock was kept 

 up to a high degree.'** 



Thus the importation of these horses was only another fresh 

 infusion of Oriental blood from a different source. They were 

 highly esteemed and must have been very good specimens. 



In 1782 almost a century after the importation of the several 

 stud horses from Persia the first eight stallions were imported from 

 England. Nothing definite can be ascertained about their pedigree 

 for the first volume of the ' ' General Stud Book" was only published 

 in 1808. At that time all England was wildly enthusiastic over 

 the attainments of Herod, Eclipse, Matcham, and their several illus- 

 trious sons and daughters. The Oriental sire has once for all over- 



(33) Sir John Barrow "Travels in the Interior of South Africa." 1797-1798. 



(34) The Evolution of Live-stocTc Breeding in the Argentine. From "The Ag- 



ricultural and Pastoral Census of the Nation." Vol. Ill- Buenos 

 Aires 1909. 



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