Classes and Breeds of British Horses. 1 97 



A race of horses, of foreign lineage, but long naturalized, 

 exists in the West of Ireland, almost unknown to the breed- 

 ers of England. They inhabit the Connamara district of the 

 county of Galway. The tradition is, that, from the wreck of 

 some ships of the Spanish Armada on the west coast of Ire- 

 land, in the year 1588, several horses and mares were saved, 

 which continued to breed in the rugged and desolate country 

 to which they were thus brought. But the aid of tradition 

 is in no degree necessary to prove the origin of these horses, 

 since all their characters are essentially Spanish. They are 

 from twelve to fourteen hands high, generally of the pre- 

 vailing chestnut colour of the Andalusian horses, delicate in 

 their limbs, and possessed of the form of head characteristic 

 of the Spanish race. They are suffered to run wild and ne- 

 glected in the country of mixed rock and bog which they 

 inhabit, and where they are to be seen galloping in troops 

 amongst the rugged rocks of limestone of which the country 

 consists. When they are to be caught, which is usually 

 when they are three or four years old, they are driven into 

 the bogs, and haltered. They are hardy, active, sure-footed 

 in a remarkable degree, and retain the peculiar amble of the 

 Spanish Jennet. Any selection may be made from the wild 

 troops, after being hunted into the bogs ; and individuals are 

 obtained at a trifling expense. It must be regarded as re- 

 markable that these horses should retain the characters of 

 their race for so long a period in a country so different from 

 that whence they are derived. They have merely become 

 smaller than the original race, are somewhat rounder in the 

 croup, and are covered, in their natural state, with shaggy 

 hair, the necessary effect of a climate the most humid in 

 Europe. From mere neglect of the selection of parents 

 in breeding, many of these little horses are extremely ugly, 

 yet still conforming to the original type. It iwould be desir- 

 able that the gentlemen of Ireland should direct attention to 

 this remarkable race, which would supply a class of horses, 

 of the Galloway size, now much wanted. By importing some 

 of the best Andalusian stallions, a wonderful change could 

 be effected in the breed, which would thus be rendered of 

 economical importance to the district which produces it. 



But a.class of native horses, of great importance, as the 



