A Dissertation on Horses | Page 4

thing) are the powers of acting
applied to these levers. Now when we consider a half-bred Horse
running one mile or more, with the same velocity as a Horse of foreign
extraction, we do not impute that equality of velocity to any innate
quality in the half-bred Horse, because we can account for it by
external causes: that is by an equality of the length, and extent of his
levers and tendons. And when we consider a half-bred Horse running
one mile, or more, with the same velocity as the other, and then giving
it up, what shall we do? shall we say the foreigner beats him by his
blood, or by the force and power of his tendons? or can we, without
reproaching our own reason and understanding, impute that to be the
effect of occult and hidden causes in the one of these instances and not
in the other? both of which are demonstrated with certainty, and
reduced to facts by the knowledge of anatomy and the principles of
mechanics.
How many instances have we of different Horses beating each other
alternately over different sorts of ground! how often do we see short,
close, compact Horses beating others of a more lengthened shape, over
high and hilly coursed, as well as deep and slippery ground; in the latter
of which, the blood is esteemed much better, and whose performances
in general are much better!
And how comes it to pass that Horses of a more lengthened shape, have
a superiority over Horses of a shorter make, upon level and flat courses?
Is this effected by the difference of their mechanical powers, or is it
affected by the blood? if, by the latter, then this blood is not general,
but partial only, which no reasoning man will be absurd enough to
allow. But I much fear our distinctions of good and bad blood are
determined with much partiality; for every jockey has his particular
favourite blood, of which he judges from events, success, or prejudice:
else, how comes it to pass, that we see the different opinions and
fashions of blood varying daily! nay, we see the very same blood

undergoing the very same fate; this year rejected, the next in the highest
esteem; or this year in high repute, the next held at nothing. How many
changes has the blood of Childers undergone! once the best, then the
worst, now good again! Where are the descendants of Bay Bolton, that
once were the terror of their antagonists! Did these prevail by the
superiority of their blood, or because their power and their fabric was
superior to the Horses of their time? If any one ask why Danby Cade
was not as good a racer as any in the kingdom, the jockey could not
impute this defect to his blood; but if it should be imputed to his want
of proportion, surely it might be held for a true and satisfactory reason.
How many revolutions of fame and credit, have all sportsmen observed
in these HIGH-BRED families.
Numberless are the examples of this kind which might be quoted, but
to account for this, one says, The blood is wore out for want of a proper
cross; another tells us, That after having been long in this climate, the
blood degenerates; but these reasons cannot be true, because we see the
off-spring of all crosses, and of the most antient** families,
occasionally triumphant over the sons of the very latest comers, the
error then will not be found in the blood, or in the proper crossing; but
the defect will be produced by the erroneous judgment of mankind, in
putting together the male and female with improper shapes; and while
we are lost and blinded by an imaginary good, the laws of nature stand
revealed; and we by paying a proper attention thereto, and employing
our judgment therein, might wipe this ignis fatuus from the mind, and
fix the truth on a sure foundation. Our observation shews us, that on the
one hand, we may breed Horses of foreign extraction too delicate, and
too slight for any labour; and on the other hand, so coarse and clumsy,
as to be fitter for the cart than the race. Shall we then wonder these
cannot race, or shall we doubt that degrees of imperfection in the
mechanism, will produce degrees of imperfection in racing! and when
we find such deficient, shall we ridiculously impute it to a degeneracy
of that blood, which once was in the highest esteem, or to the want of
judgment in him who did not properly adapt the shapes of their
progenitors!
Shall we confess this, or is the fault in nature? For though most
philosophers agree, that innate principles do not exist, yet we know for
certain, that