THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE 



89 



Early racing in England. — The horse, as a feature in 

 the sporis of the times, is first mentioned in the latter 

 half of the twelfth century, when races of a primitive 

 character were conducted at Smithfield. The first race 

 reported was run between Richard II. and the Earl of 

 Arundel in 1377. Henry VIII. was the first king who 

 ran horses for his own amusement. He maintained a 

 royal stud, had laws enacted regarding horse breeding, 



FIG. 60.— THOROUGHBRED STALLION "CHOCORNAE" 



and imported from Turkey, Spain and Naples. System- 

 atic racing, however, did not begin until the time of 

 James I., who is credited with having imported the first 

 Arabian for the purpose of breeding horses of greater 

 speed. In 1616, through an English merchant, James I. 

 imported from the Orient a stallion named Markham's 

 Arabian, for which he paid £500. This horse was a 

 failure in the stud and was much ridiculed. Charles I., 

 son of James I., established racing at Newmarket and 

 Hyde Park. He also passed laws encouraging horse 

 breeding. 



