144 PROCEEDINGS OF THE COTTESWOLD CLUB 



found in the ruins of Swiss Lake dwellings, but it is sup- 

 posed that at this time they were chiefly used as food. 



The horse was universally used for food by man before 

 the historic period. During the Roman occupation of 

 Britain it formed a large part of the diet of the inhabitants. 

 It was eaten by the Scandinavians in honour of Odin. 

 As Christianity prevailed over the heathen worship, it was 

 banished from the table. It was, however, used in this 

 country as late as 787 A.D., after it had been prohibited 

 in Eastern Europe. The ecclesiastical rule, however, was 

 not always strictly obeyed, for the monks of St. Gall, in 

 Switzerland, not only ate horseflesh in the Xlth century, but 

 returned thanks for it in a beautiful metrical grace. 

 During the Bronze Age horses were used for riding, as 

 may be seen from the bronze bits which are dug up in 

 France and in Italy. 



As the horse came into use in war, those nations which 

 used horses conquered those which were without them, 

 and pressing forward from their own lands they over rode 

 the tribes which were unmounted. So imposing is the 

 effect of cavalry on all peoples who have no previous 

 knowledge of the horse, that it always produces fear, for 

 to such people the horse and his rider appear a single 

 terrible being, and the Greeks have left a token of their 

 appreciatoin of the strength derived from the union of the 

 man and horse in the myth of the Centaur. And the 

 ease with which the Spaniards conquered Mexico and 

 Peru is to be attributed to the awe which they struck into 

 the ranks of the savage footmen by their mail-clad horses. 



Until the invention of gunpowder the success of an 

 attack depended chiefly on the charge, and the army 

 which possessed cavalry was able to overwhelm a host 

 consisting only of infantry. Since the introduction of 

 firearms, and more especiallv since the invention of the 

 breech-loading rifle, the manner of employing cavalry has 



