178 VARIETIES OF THE HOESE 



of the knee, to say nothing of height, it appears probable that John Scott 

 had the Suffolk mare more in his eye than the Shire at the time he wrote. 

 This impression is confirmed by some of his subsequent remarks, as for 

 instance his admission that one or two of his points were not in accord 

 with opinions of " late years ", as many Cart-horses, he observes, " that 

 realized the highest prices, stood 17 hands at the shoulder, and also 

 showed the lofty forehand with the flat shoulder of the Coach-horse". 



John Scott refers to the " large blacks " of the Midland counties and 

 the Suffolk as the chief breeds of heavy horse, and states that the great 

 Cart-horses of the Midlands were principally bred in Derbyshire, War- 

 wickshire, Nottinghamshire, Lincolnshire, and Leicestershire, and that this 

 variety has been reared in the lowland pastures of these shires from 

 Flemish and Dutch stock. He admits, however, that in " distant " times 

 only Belgic stallions were imported, but later, through the " systematic 

 activity" of Bakewell of Dishley, mares of the first size were also brought 

 from Flanders, and a breed of Thoroughbred horses with foreign blood 

 on both sides was formed. These, he further states, were so improved 

 that Bakewell, "about thirty years since", sent a black Cart stallion up 

 for the king to see, recommending him for a sire of saddle horses; but 

 though the horse had a light head well set on, deep shoulders, flat bone, 

 and the action of a pony, his majesty declined the offer thus made him 

 — and no doubt acted wisely. Very probably the extract thus made as 

 to the opinions of John Scott may be in accord with the views of many 

 persons who have devoted their time to the investigation of the ancestry 

 of the Shire horse; but whether his statements are reliable or not, so 

 far as the importation of foreign mares is concerned, they may never- 

 theless be interesting to many. It is of importance also to learn from 

 Scott that the object of the breeders of the Bakewell era was to 

 produce horses of 17 hands, and of proportionate bulk and weight, 

 whilst the chief and most favoured colour was black. The larger-pro- 

 portioned horses w T ere, of course, for agricultural and heavy draught, whilst 

 Scott adds that the inferior-sized ones were utilized for cavalry purposes 

 and funerals. 



Having thus attempted to trace briefly the genealogy of this ancient 

 breed, through the long period that has elapsed since the days when the 

 earliest kings of this country first directed their attention to the improve- 

 ment and development of the native horse, it now becomes necessary 

 to consider the variety from the point of view in which it at presenl 

 exists. Before doing so, however, it may be desirable to cast back one's 

 memory to the vicissitudes through which the old War-horse has passed 

 — assuming that he is accepted as the direct ancestor of the modern 



