The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-03-17

Thoroughbred Horses.
ANOTHER LETTER FROM JUDGE r. W. HUGHES.
RICHMOND, March IL, 1881.

RICHMOND. March II, 1881.
Editors Of the Dispatch
Gentlemen,-Ithank YOU for your exceed.
ing kindness in republishing my letter to
Major boswell on the thoroughbred horse,
from the Turf. FIetd and Farm. The wr.
ting OF that letter was The most accidental
thing in the world, though, having con-
ciuded to write il, took the pains, in doing
so, which my respect for the public natural
~ prompted, 10 be careful in all its stale
ments.
That letter was not, Is our friend ME.
Bruce thought, written in an aggressive
spirit. II was IN fact, more defensive than
aggressive. II was written virtually in
reply to an editorial article in the Sportsman
laudatory OF the present manner Of breeding
the thoroughbred horse, and OF the men in
Kentucky, New York, and elsewhere who
are pursuing this method. My owu decided
impression is that these people are running
the thoroughbred race OF horses.
That race wa, one which came INTO uni
versal estimation during the Mahometan
iuvaSions and cOBqucsts Of Europe and
North Africa. There were no railroads in
those days, nor steamers, nor were there
even ships large enough for the lranSp0rta.
tiOn OF animals. The military cOnquests OF
the age had to be made on hOrSebqcE, and
the success Of MahOmet and the Caliphs was
largely,due to the fact that they rode the
Oriental horse, whose powers OF endurance
were greater lhan those OF his rider They
were small animals below an average Of
fifteen hands in height; capable Of long
marches on minimum supplies Of water,
food, and rest. Tncy were the rings Of
MabOmet and his successors. The tradition
was that they scarcely touched the earth, but,
like invisible spirits, pcOplcd the cmpyrcaI.
1t is sad to read how easily they flanked and
ran around The old knights, who rode their
fat, slow PercherOn horses, weighing with
their arms and armOr some three hundred
aud fifty pounds. Each OF these knights
was a sort OF movable Understandable
indeed. but only at the speed OF less than
three miles an hour, always in walk. I'm
agine the effect even OF a slow trOt on these
old rattle-trap .fortreSSeS, swung all
around with swords, and lances, and he'll
NETS, and pans and kettles! The conquest
Of Europe with cavalry OF light armOr
mounted on Oriental horses was simply
matter of will with the Mahometans. They
came, they saw, they conquered.
From that age the Oriental horse became
the choice stecd Of ChrislendOm and the
world; and in England particularly tie cul-
tivation OF this stock OF horses became
leading passion with the descendants OF the
Norman conquerors. and the only meaning
now OF the term Thoroughbred horse" i
a horse Of pure descent from the Oriental
stock.
have said the foregoing as inducement
to what shall have TO say as to'thc present
method of breeding. You may breed a
horse as YOU may everything else, "out OF
its nature y; you may carry the improving
process so far as to weed out all the original
and only valuable qualities OF the thorough.
bred horse, and get up. in the horses shape,
a Kentucky elephant and New York came
leopard. What would Mahometan sol
dier, il he could now be brought 10 life.
think OF the favortc horses entered for
one, two, and three-mie " single dashes "
in our greatest stakes: A Single.daS 4
mile, or three.mile dash TO a soldier Of
Mahomet, whose rides were thousands Of
miles
Unless the ideas of these breeders and
trainers are changed-evCn il il he not now
too ate-we may bid an eternal farewell TO
the thoroughbred horse as a successor by
pure genealogy to the horse OF the Saracens
Of the deserts and stcppeS.
But want to suggest particular point
for investigation. II is this whether or
not all the great performers Ton the turf and
i'll the study Of England and America nave
not been OF height sixteen bands and under,
and OF ayoirdupOis, that OF Sir Archy and
under? am perfectly willing to ri.k the
issue between the old Virginia breeders and
those Of Kentucky and New York on that !
single inquiry. hope before very long to !
he able 10 find time to 20 over the history
Of the thoroughbred horse in England and !
America, and | am sure / shall be able 10 |
prove conclusiyely from the facts OF this |
history that all the great performers have !
been within the dimensions | have named !
and that the apparent exceptions have, In |
fact, TUNED out to be lreeds in an early pOr- |
ton Of their career.
Let me ask one crucial question. Do the |
breeders who have made entries in the great |
stakes OF the present day in the United |
States dare to encourage the old fourmie |
heat and repeat:
had little Planet mare which rode in |
The congressional canvass, in Southwest
Of 1872, in company with my eX-
cellent competitor, now dead, General
Bowen. She was less than fourteen hands
N height. We rode over mountains and
plains, over steep paths and rocky roads.
md she always broke down the General and
lis fine horse. and myself, in every rde
he improved at her work every day for six
)r eight weeks, and came out Of il all with
Ound feet, legs, and back. Such was this
III sinew.and-bOne little Planet mare ''Co-
,ette." The little thing made more repu,a.
ion in The canvass than did. BY keeping
Town the immense Democratic majority in
hat district, as large as all New Hampshire,
o five thousand, she saved Virginia for
irant.
| had another riding mare, "Lightfoot,"
Star Davis animal, we'll known IN that
ountry, on which often made great rides.
IN a wet, slippery day in November, 1868,
II a drizzling all.day rain, set out one
norning from Stickleyville, In Lee county,
or home, three miles east Of Abine don, by
say OF BlountsvilIe, Tennessee, and Bristol,
distance Of seventy-fye miles or more.
OF home by II O'Clock at night, thoroughly
ided myself; but =" LightfOot," whom /
Irned into a grass-lot, was fresh and brisk
le next morning, ready for another iaunt;
nd in April following brought perfect
,a!.
Ii is to capacity for such practical, useful !
ork as this bat all breeding ought to tend.
oes our present Kentucky aud New York
eeding actually tend in that directions I
Yours, ROBERT w. HUGHEs. d,
Eugene Lee Crt,tchfield. a son OF A. F.
Esn n.f fine Royfi11O Ors0n has |