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Elbe and the Eider; then the Spanish horse, followed by that of Flanders; and upon this heterogeneous mass was engrafted Eastern and Arabian blood.

Can we wonder, then, at the want of harmony of parts and proportion in the animal, and the great diversity of types to be seen in that select class called thorough-bred (the present standard breed of the country)? I do not deny great merit in individual animals of mixed blood, but it is not possessed collectively, nor can animals of mixed blood keep up excellences.

But the advantages of pure blood are the maintenance and continuance of certain original good qualities and attributes, both moral and physical; and by establishing pure Arab blood in this country, with proper care we may expect to attain a degree of excellence hitherto unknown.

Many think the English horse is more nearly allied to the Barb than to the Arabian, and is more like the former in appearance and character, and argue that for any improvement the Barb should be selected. Beware of doing this. Seek always the pure and parent breed. That the English horse should have a closer resemblance to the Barb and to other Eastern horses, does not show that he has been derived more from such sources; but it is the natural consequence of his being of mixed blood, and only partly Arabian, and therefore very similarly bred to the Barb, Persian, and Toorkoman horse. The English horse being of a mixed breed cannot have the perfect form and character of the Arabian, therefore has gradually assumed the appearance of those breeds

which have also been derived or improved by the Arabian, but whatever advantage it may be supposed he has drawn from the Barb and other horses of Eastern blood, has really been derived from the Arabian, who gave the excellence to those breeds.

The

'The Toorkomans trace their breed of horses to Arabian sires,' and procure Arab blood to invigorate their breed as often as opportunity may occur. Persian is certainly a breed improved by the Arabian. It is stated that those horses bred in Kurdistan are accounted the best in beauty and strength-very likely they have received a further infusion of Arabian blood since the Shammar have occupied Mesopotamia. The Barb is a descendant of the Arabian, but certainly not always of pure blood.

A national stud is wanted. There is a cry for a system that shall supply good and useful horses. But some will say it must be for the production of good, sound, weight-carrying hunters; others want good riding horses for general purposes; the Government, horses for the army; the sportsman a racer. When, after the lapse of more than a century, our thorough-bred horse has failed to become our saddle horse, our hunter, does not supply our cavalry with hardy and useful horses, now is the time no longer to postpone the selection of the Arabian. The horse who in himself answers all these requirements, whose natural attributes are fire and sagacity, blood and action, speed and bottom.

The sportsman who loves racing for the sport itself may yet carry off the Blue Riband of the Turf with a

horse of pure Arabian blood, and know he is conferring a lasting benefit on his country. The Welter weight might find himself carried in the first flight by a real weight-carrier of pure blood. The cavalry officer would have a charger worthy to carry him in front of his squadrons. All who are interested in riding would be benefited, for we should have a pure breed of saddlehorses.

Remarks on the future treatment of the Arabian horse in this country, to ensure the successful establishment of a new and pure breed, come not within the province of this work-the chief object of which is to point out that our thorough-bred horse is not pure; that a pure breed of horses does exist, and where it is to be found.

First let us obtain the pure bred and perfect horse, then let us take care to keep his future generations pure.

LIST

OF

ARABIANS, BARBS, TURKS, AND FOREIGN HORSES,

WHICH WERE EMPLOYED, MORE OR LESS,

IN THE FORMATION OF THE ENGLISH STUD,

FROM THE TIME OF KING JAMES I. UNTIL ABOUT THE END OF THE LAST CENTURY.

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ARABIANS.

Markham's Arabian. A bay horse, bought by King James I. Wilkinson's Bay Arabian, about 1680. King Charles II.'s reign. An Arabian (sire of Bald Peg, Spanker's grandam).

Curwen's Chestnut Arabian, about 1700-1709.

The Leedes Arabian.

The Darley Arabian. A Bedouin

Horse, of the family called Keheilan - Ras-el- Fedawi, imported by Mr. Darley the latter end of Queen Anne's reign. The Basset Arabian, about 1700. Harpur's Arabian, about 1700. Pulleine's Chestnut Arabian, about 1700.

D'Arcy's Chestnut Arabian, about 1700-1710.

Hutton's Arabian, about 1700. Cyprus Arabian, about 1715-1720. Bloody Buttocks, a grey Arabian

of Mr. Croft's, with a red mark on his hip.

Lord Lonsdale's Bay and Grey Arabians, about 1720.

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Arabian, about 1740-1760. Duke of Northumberland's Chestnut, Bay, and Grey Arabians, about 1760-1780.

The Northumberland Brown Arabian (afterwards called Leedes Arabian), about 1760.

The Cullen Arabian, about 17401755.

The Coomb Arabian, about 1755-
1780 (sometimes called the Pigot
Arabian, and sometimes the Bo-
lingbroke Grey Arabian).
His Majesty's one-eyed Grey Ara-
bian (George I. or II.), about
1720-30.

Hampton Court Arabian, 1720.
Chestnut Litton Arabian, 1720
Oxford Bloody-shouldered Arabian,
1700-22.
Oxford Arabian.

Oxford Dun Arabian (?).
Duke of Beaufort's White and Grey
Arabians, 1720-40.

Conyers' Arabian, about 1730-40
Grosvenor Arabian, about 1750-70.
Saanah Arabian, 1760-80.

Stanyan's Arabian, about 1720-30. Devonshire Arabian, Chestnut, about 1740-60.

Bell's Arabian, about 1760-72.
Blair's Arabian.

Bunbury Arabian, about 1760. Widdrington Arabian, about 17101730.

Wynn Arabian, about 1710-30. Ossory Arabian, about 1760-74. Bright's Arabian, about 1730–46. Newcomb's Arabian, about 17451758.

Lord Brook's Arabian, about 1720. Mr. Fletcher's Arabian, about

1730-45.

Somerset Arabian, about 1725-40. Panton's Arabian, 1750-62. Milward's Arabian, about 1755-75. Mr. Parker's Arabian, about 1770-80.

Damascus Arabian, about 1750-75. Witham Grey Arabian, about 1760-76.

Wilson's Arabian, about 1740-60.
Ward's Arabian, about 1760-70.
Blackett's Arabian, about 1710-30.
Mr. Gibson's Arabian, about 1750-
1770.

Clifton Arabian, about 1730-40.
Lord Rockingham's Arabian.
Sir John Sebright's Arabian.
Thompson's Grey Arabian.
Philippo's Arabian, about 1770-90.
General Evans's Arabian, about
1730.

General Smith's Arabian, 1760-77.
Woburn Arabian, 1780-1800.
Sir J. Jenkins' Arabian, about
1700-20.

Sir T. Gresley's Arabian, about 1700.

Sir R. Sutton's Grey Arabian,

about 1730.

Sir W. Morgan's Arabian, about 1720.

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