OUR DEBT TO THE ARAB 35 



not, perhaps, that he was really better than the 

 Arabian sires who preceded him (though of this 

 we cannot judge) but that horsemen now knew, 

 for the first time, what Arabian blood really stood 

 for. The sons and daughters of Arabian sires 

 had always proved superior animals, but breeders 

 knew now that this was not because the imported 

 sires happened, by chance, to be good horses and 

 prepotent getters, but because they were Arabian. 

 Breeders of racing-stock now bred back to the 

 Arabian strain again and again, till there was 

 practically no other blood in their stock. And 

 thus originated the Word " thoroughbred," so 

 often misunderstood and misapplied. For thor- 

 oughbred means : Bred thoroughly to the parent 

 or original stock. 



Time, the skill of man and a climate generous 

 of oats and grass have since greatly modified the 

 thoroughbred horse. He is faster now than his 

 Arabian progenitor, and he is larger and does 

 not resemble him very closely in conformation. 

 He presents, in fact, all the characteristics of a 

 distinct and pure type. But he has the same 

 blood-like and aristocratic look, the same clean 

 limbs and head, fine skin, and points of excellence. 

 And as the most ancient type of our modern 

 horses, he is prepotent above all others. 



Among American horses, the thoroughbred is 



