The Holbrook news., 1912-02-02

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 trol, there are those who are apt
 to forget that horses remain a ne-
 cessity to the armies of the world.
 It is of interest to point out. therefore, how excellent a recruiting ground for cavalry horses might be found in Tripon and Morocco.
 Every grain of barley given to a horse is registered in the register of Good Works" said Mohammed, and various passages in the Koran betoken the prophets deep appreciation of the value of horses to his people. We know with some degree of certainty that horses were ridden 1000 B. C., that chariots were in use probably 2,000 years previously. But it was left to the people of the prophet to forge the true connecting link in the chain between our modern Derby winner and the horses of the prime All through the centuries the Arab helped on this ancient breed, increas- ing the speed, developing the stam- ina by means of careful selectiVe mat ing, selling their stallions sometimes when the inducement was considered good enough, but always retaining the finest mares to carry on the priceless strain
 Happily we were able to take the Arab horse and his near relative. the Barb, and by their help to evolve a distinct breed which is superior to both parent stocks in size. strength. speed and perhaps in power of en- durance. I refer, of course, to our thoroughbred horse The assertion that the modern thoroughbred Is superior to the modern Arab in the points just mentioned may not exactly coincide with opinions which imply that our studies in pedigree have been all mistake, and that the two centuries devoted to painstaking breeding in England since Charles II. sent to the east for those royal mares which really laid the foundation of the Brit ish stud, have practically been wasted. Short distance racing, we are told. has brought about the alleged deterior- ation of the thoroughbred, and we are left to infer that in general excellence our present day racers are nothing like SO good as the horses that sprang from the original Arabian stock
 The exportation of horses from Morocco is forbidden. At such an auction as that illustrated, the Tots" are taken round and round to possi- ble purchasers, and are eventually taken back to the highest bidder, that he may be possessed of his property at once
 British Thoroughbred Horses.
 r1,,k fo prOnf fhof o,,- 4k1- oughbreds have deteriorated at all; in- deed, the opinion of the majority of those who have gone closely into the subject. from Admiral Rous' time down to the present, is to the effect that such modern champions as St. Simon, Flying Fox, Scepter and Is- inglass have been as much in front of Eclipse, Childers and other giants of old as the latter were superior to the native English stock which four ished before the introduction of east ern blood.
 True, the tendency of the turf of today is to produce sprinters, and not long distance horses. But races are run at top pace nowadays. and the race for a mile in 1911 probably calls for as great powers of endurance as the slower run four mile heats of 15O years ago. Is there an Arab which could have been matched against the White Knight over four mile course? Is there an Arab which would outdistance the fine thoroughbred hunters which may be seen in the first flight when hounds are running with breast high scent over the grasslands of the shires7 Is there an Arab capa- ble of showing greater endurance than thoroughbreds such as Cloister, Mani | festo. Ascetic's Silver or Eremon, over a tremendous course like that of the | Liverpool Grand Nationalf I shouId