284 COMMON BRITISH ANIMALS 



of horses enabled the Normans to conquer at Hastings, 

 and the possession of great war-horses was the sure 

 means of preserving one's own country or conquering 

 that of otliers throughout the middle ages ; even when 

 armour was discarded the new cavalry mounted on 

 light horses became an engine of war more formidable 

 than any yet known, whilst Marlborough's great 

 victories were largely due to his cavalry. With the 

 improvement of fire-arms and the ability of infantry 

 to resist cavalry it seemed as though the days of the 

 horse soldier were over, but the recent war in South 

 Africa has shown that in the future struggles of the 

 nations mounted infantry are likely to play an all- 

 important part. Accordingly though the place of 

 the horse under the carriage, the omnibus, the 

 waggon, and even the plough itself may be taken by 

 automobile engines, never in the history of the world 

 was there greater need of horses to draw artillery 

 and carry infantry." 



FINIS. 



