THE SADDLE BREEDS OF HORSES 115 
American Standardbred and Saddle families, as well as of 
the Thoroughbred. 
The trend of Thoroughbred sentiment was first north- 
ward from its original seat, about the middle of the eight- 
eenth century, centering later about the Union course on 
Long Island, then westward into Kentucky and Tennessee, 
where the first race-course was established at Lexington, 
some time previous to the organization of a chartered as- 
sociation in 1828. The environment of Kentucky proved 
so congenial to the horses bred there, that it soon attained 
itss premier position among the horse-producing states. 
Then, in the natural course of events, some of the best 
blood of Virginia and Kentucky found its way into Cali- 
fornia, and there were soon founded studs which later 
achieved national fame. The Civil War proved a serious 
set-back to the breeding operations then well under way, 
but the Thoroughbred soon recovered from this inter- 
ruption, and with the reéstablishment of affairs on a stable 
basis, became generally distributed throughout the length 
and breadth of the land. He is still most extensively bred 
in those regions where he first came to his own. Notable 
patrons of the Thoroughbred in America have been Wash- 
ington, Jackson, Clay, Jefferson and John Randolph. 
129. Description. — The Thoroughbred conforms to 
and is the truest exponent of the long, lithe, rangy, deep, 
narrow, angular type consistent with speed, which is in 
such striking contrast to the low, broad, compact and mas- 
sive form significant of power in the draft horse. It is 
possible, however, to enumerate certain characters that 
are more particularly and distinctly Thoroughbred than 
the type, which is more or less common to all speed horses. 
These characters are derived in part from the oriental 
progenitors, while some may be regarded as strictly Thor- 
