98 MANAGEMENT AND BREEDING OF HORSES 



country was Diomed, winner of the first English Derby. 

 He was imported in 1799 in his twenty-second year of age, 

 and is regarded by many as the real progenitor of the 

 American Thoroughbred. In direct line of descent from 

 him comes Sir Archy, often referred to as the first truly 

 American Thoroughbred, while Boston, Sir Archy's 

 grandson, is conceded to have been the greatest American 

 race horse. Boston sired Lexington, a scarcely less re- 

 markable racer than Boston, and a most influential sire, 

 especially through the female line. Lexington's blood 

 enters into the American saddle horse and the Standard- 

 bred as well as of the Thoroughbred. 



From the original seat in the southern colonies the 

 Thoroughbred sentiment moved north, centering about 

 the Union course on Long Island, then westward into 

 Kentucky and Tennessee. The environment of Kentucky 

 proved so congenial to the horses bred there that the 

 state soon attained first position as a Thoroughbred horse- 

 producing state. Later some of the best blood of the 

 breed found its way to California and studs were founded 

 which have achieved national fame. 



Description of the Thoroughbred horse. — The con- 

 formation of the running horse is distinctive. He is up- 

 standing, long, lithe, rangy and angular, thus favoring 

 speed, and is in striking contrast to the low, broad, com- 

 pact and massive form significant of power in the draft 

 horse. There is a general spareness, particularly about 

 the head and legs, and the muscles and tendons stand out 

 prominent and cordy. 



The head is moderately small, with sharply defined fea- 

 tures, showing breeding; nostrils large and full; eyes 

 clear, prominent and intelligent; ears neat, of medium 

 size, not too wide apart and carried in a lively manner. 

 The neck should be long, the upper part from the poll to 

 the withers about twice as long as the lower part from 

 the point of the shoulders to the larynx, and strongly 

 muscled. The shoulders should slope obliquely back, 



