68 THE HORSE 



hoi'se ; the depth of the ruts and the steep hills on all the roads of the 

 country demanding much greater power than at present, and six horses 

 being the smallest team in use. For the purpose of carrying the mail-clad 

 men-at-arms, a powerful horse of great size had long been wanted, but not 

 of quite the same colossal proportions as was required for the use of the 

 heavy lumbering coaches which were now introduced. In course of time, 

 however, after gunpowder was invented, armour became useless, and then 

 a lighter horse was in i"equest. Racing had long been established in a few 

 small meetings every year ; but no sooner was a light cavalry demanded 

 than a double impetus was given to the amusement, and Arabs, Barbs, and 

 Turks were imported in large numbers, for the purpose of breeding animals 

 suited either to turf or the saddle. This was in the middle of the seven- 

 teenth centur)'-, duiing which time a number of books on the management 

 of the horse were published in France and England, showing the interest 

 which was generally taken in the subject. Of these, the most celebrated 

 is the magnificently illustrated woi'k of the Duke of Newcastle, who 

 occupied himself in writing it at Antwerp, during his banishment in 

 the time of the Commonwealth, between 1650 and 1660. He desci'ibes 

 the horses of his time as follows : — " The Turkish horse stands high, 

 though of an unequal shape, being remarkably beautiful and active, with 

 plenty of power, and excellent wind, but rarely possesses a good mouth. 

 Much praise is given to the grandeur of carriage of the Neapolitan horse ; 

 and, in truth, they are fine horses, those I have seen being both large, 

 strong, and full of spirit. I have not only seen several Spanish horses, 

 but several have been in my possession. They are extremely beautiful, 

 and the most eligible of an}^, either to form subjects for the artist, or to 

 carry a monarch, when, surrounded by the pomp and dignity of majest}'-, he 

 would show himself to his people ; for they are neither so intemperate as 

 the Barbs, nor so large as the Neapolitans, but the perfection of both. 

 The Barb possesses a superb and high action, is an excellent trotter and 

 galloper, and very active when in motion. Although generally not so 

 strong as other breeds, when well chosen I do not know a more noble 

 horse ; and I have read strange accounts of their courage — for example, 

 when so badly wounded that their entrails have protruded, they have 

 carried their riders safe and sound out of danger, with the same spirit with 

 which they entered it, and then dropped dead." From the engravings 

 in this book, the war-horse of that period closely resembled the Flemish 

 or Hanoverian blacks which we now have, but of greater substance, the 

 man in armour weighing between twenty and twenty-five stone. But even 

 supposing this to be the horse of the country in the time of the second 

 Charles, a very few crosses of Arab blood would fine it down, till in appear- 

 ance it would not be distinguishable from its Eastern progenitor. One- 

 eighth of cold blood is not very perceptible, and this proportion would exist 

 in the third cross, and would therefore occupy only ten or a dozen years to 

 produce it. Gradually a breed of horses was established which has been 

 celebrated throughout the world for the last century, for speed, stoutness, 

 and beauty ; in all which qualities the present stock excels their parents on 

 both sides. Much of this excellence is doubtless due to the climate and 

 soil of the country, which encourage the growth of those fine grasses that 

 exactly suit the delicate stomach of this animal. But without care and 



