The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1914-02-22

shaped. and the engravings show that
be had long. why hair on his legs al
most up to his belly.
The first racing in England dates
back, as a matter of record. AS far ms
1912. Three Barbs and eastern horses
taken by the English in the defeat of
the Armada, suited admirably their
taste and acted Us great heaven in
refining their stock. When horses be-
Kan to be bred for the race course
their appearance, according to the
wood cuts and engravings of the time.
began TO undergo very marked changes
and characteristics.
reference to the works OF eminent
writer's on the anatomy of the hors,
show that the Arab and his gloriGoi
descendant, the thoroughbred haze
closer fibered muscles and denser.
tougher, more elastic sinows and a
more closely knit structure than she
heavier, slower breeds. a cross sec
ton OF the bone of a race course thos-
ouGhbred and one of draft horse
would show the structure of the for
mer dense and tests OF the race course
call for the greatest possible com or
nation of strength. with lightness ana
quickness of action.
First Studhook.
I'm 1927 a racing calendar was pub
lshed. an organized Jockey club was
book was issued in 1871. 1t is n mar
velous thing to consider how three
horses out of all the countless thou
sands that have been used tried and
found wanting. stood out and estah
lshed dynastics. which remain unchal~
lenged today. In 1689l690 Captain
Byerley who fought In ireland In
King Williams war, brought his
charger home and he was known in
the stud as Byerley's Turk. The Oar
ley Arabian was foaled about 17o2.
An English gentleman living in AL
1epo, who was a member of hdnt
club, was so impressed by the charac-
ter and individuality of the horse that
ne bought him and sent him to his
brother John Brewster barley. Of Aid
by park, near York. The Godolphhi
Arabian arrived in England about
twenty-five years later. The opinion
of the period being divided-one state
nent being that Mfr. Coke. an Eng
iishman. rescued him from pulling a
watering cart in Paris. others saying
that he was stolen from the stud of
the French king, who placed no value
upon him. At any rate he was gent
into England without a pedigree By
Mr. Coke. who gave him to Roger vii
Hams proprietor OF the St James cot
fee house who In turn presented him
to the Earl of Godolphin, in whose
service he died.
From Arabian stations.
"There Is not a successful stallion in
the world today. not a single horse IF
any merit as sire. who does not trace
in male line from one of these three
Arab stations. The dynasties are
known as Herod, Eclipse and Match :
EN- The Arab horse of the period
stood about 141-2 hands. 1t can De
readily seen how far the development
of the modern thoroughbred has prog
ressed by comparing the race horse
of today with the description given Of
the Godolphin, barley and Byerley
Arabfans. For the modern breeder -
go back to the horse of the desert
would be like present day transporta-
tfnn using the farm traction engine IN
stead OF the one hundred ton nogul.
Il am Informed that the British gov
eminent in order to encourage native
breeders In India, gives them handi-
cap of fifty pounds for home bred
horses. in the viceroy's cup, two miles
and a half In fifty years they have
won ii very few times.
Now, few OF the breeders and 1t
is safe to say none OF the laymen,
realize the enormous, the incredible
amount of patient labor, intelligent
study and the billions OF money Used
in the past four hundred years to de-
velop this wonderfully perfected type
of horse AS the race course was IN
dispensable In accomplishing this in
the past so Is 1t equally needed now
and in the future to keep the breed
from deteriorating. No man can tell
by visual examination IL an animal
has a weak heart. imperfect lungs. bad
/ ;endons and the race track is the cru
cible wherein all defeats of eonforma
ton. constitution. faint courage and
! inffrmities of temper are searched out,
and only the best survive"