CHAPTER VIII 



THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE 



Of the modern breeds or horses, the Thoroughbred was 

 the first to receive sj^stematic attempts at improvement. 

 For more than three centuries this breed has been con- 

 sidered as the fountain head from vi^hich much of the 

 quality and endurance among horses have been derived. 



The native home of the Thoroughbred horse. — England, 

 the largest and most densely populated division of the 

 British group, is the native home of the Thoroughbred 

 horse. The climate is moist, temperate and adapted to 

 barley, oats and pasture, thus providing ideal conditions 

 for the development and improvement of the horse. An- 

 other factor of vital importance in the development of this 

 breed is the temperament of the English people, v\dio for 

 more than i,ooo years have fostered racing. The sport- 

 loving Cavaliers of England played a very important part 

 in founding and developing this renovi^ned breed of 

 running horses. 



The origin of the Thoroughbred horse. — A knowledge 

 of the early history of Great Britain is necessary for a 

 complete understanding of the origin of the Thoroughbred 

 horse. There are no indications of any horses having 

 been indigenous to Britain. The horses with which the 

 islands were first stocked are generally held to have been 

 derived from the pony types, native to northern Europe, 

 though recent researches by Ridgeway indicate that 

 horses of the north African type were in Ireland as early 

 as the sixth century ; yet, whatever the source, these early 

 horses were small of stature. We know that the first 

 efi:orts at improvement were in the attempt of increas- 

 ing the size. 



