600 THE HOME, FARM AND BUSINESS CYCLOPEDIA. 



The horses of Europe, like the inhabitants, are of mixed lineage. The 

 Russian he rse is of a small stature, hardy and muscular, capable of great 

 endurance, inured by exposure to the hardship of a rigorous climate and 

 the privations of an innutritious and scanty fare. The Italian horses of 

 the present day are widely diversified in character ; many are powerful 

 and well shaped, whilst others are of a light and weedy character. During 

 the middle ages large numbers were imported into England for military 

 purposes, and no doubt became mixed with the native races. The Spanish 

 horse is small and has a strong dash of African blood. For many years 

 large numbers of Norman-French horses have been imported into England. 



The first stud-book published in England bears date the 25th day of 

 March, 1808, the second volume of which did not appear till 1822. Dur- 

 ing the fourteen years which elapsed between the appearance of the first 

 and second volumes, the "horses" of 1808 had become "racehorses" in 

 1822. From this slender beginning all the stud and herd books now ex- 

 tant trace their origin. From the date of the Roman invasion the native 

 r ice of English horses became much mixed in blood from a small Eastern 

 breed supplied to them principally through the medium of Jewish dealers. 

 The Anglo-Saxon warriors preferred the powerful black race of Germany 

 as representative of the Flemish breed. The Normans, who were skilled 

 horsemen, imported the best animals their country could produce for the 

 use of their soldiers. And as all horses used for war purposes during the 

 middle ages were entire, they rapidly influenced the native breed of the 

 country. 



Although the indigenous breed of middle England differed somewhat in 

 size from those of the lowlands of Scotland, yet the improvement of both 

 was derived from a common ancestry. Both the improved Clydesdale and 

 the modern Shire horses were built up through the infusion of Flemish 

 blood. During the latter part of the thirteenth and early part of the 

 fourteenth centuries a considerable trade was carried on between Scotland 

 and the low countries, and in those days of barter it is only fair to suppose 

 that the Scottish merchants would sometimes accept horses in exchange for 

 goods. 



It is generally considered that the later improvement of draught horses 

 in England was principally effected through the importation of a race of 

 black horses from Holland and Belgium. 



The improvement of the horse in this country is now a matter of record 

 and history. It has silently, and with no little rapidity been going for- 

 ward for more than a century, till we have attained a race of animals 

 which probably equal those of any other country for adaptedness to 



