520 THE HISTORY OF THE HORSE 



these localities, or was imported from China or from other distant lands 

 in the East; nor do we know whether horses emanated from one centre 

 or many, nor whether they were distributed over Asia, Africa, and Europe 

 at one and the same time, thus forming distinct though distant groups 

 of equine communities from wliicli by frequent intercourse the various 

 breeds of horses have been propagated. At the same time it must be 

 iidmitted that the early accounts given of the horse's existence are some- 

 what legendary, and it is not until after consulting the Scriptures that 

 we receive any authentic information on this vexed subject, and this too 

 only of a very fragmentary nature. The beautiful description of the war- 

 horse given us by Job proves that the horse was very early appreciated 

 by Eastern peoples, and in no language have his merits been painted with 

 such force and enthusiasm: "Hast thou given the horse strength? hast 

 thou clothed his neck with thunder? Canst thou make him afraid as 

 a grasshopper? the glory of his nostrils is terrible. He pawetli in the 

 valley, and rejoiceth in his strength : he goeth on to meet the armed men. 

 He mocketh at fear, and is not affrighted; neither turneth he back from 

 the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, the glittering spear and 

 the shield. He swalloweth the ground with fierceness and rage; neither 

 believeth he that it is the sound of the trumpet. He saith among the 

 trumpets. Ha, ha! and he smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the 

 captains, and the shouting." Although it is said that the Jews did not 

 make much use of cavalry in battle, owing, perhaps, to the mountainous 

 condition of the country, we learn that Solomon imported both chariots 

 and horses from Egypt, and kept a vast number of them — 40,000 stalls 

 for his chariot horses, 12,000 horses for his cavalry, and 1400 chariots 

 of war, — and these, we are told, were used more for purposes of display 

 than of war. Such may have been the case, and the taunting message 

 sent by Rabshakeh to Hezekiah, that if he should send him 2000 horses 

 he would not be able to put 2000 riders on them, tends to confirm this 

 opinion; but the Canaanites, with whom the Israelites were constantly 

 at war, possessed a vast number of them, and the Philistines, we read, 

 marched against Saul with 30,000 horsemen and chariots. Other nations 

 — the Egyptians and the Greeks — relied much upon the support of horses 

 both in attack and in retreat, so that in Africa, in Asia, and in Europe the 

 distribution of the equine race had been commenced early. As civilization 

 advanced, the demand for horses increased, and the extensive propagation 

 of them became a necessity. Moreover, wars between nations caused 

 them to be dispersed throughout the various regions of the then known 

 world, where, by intermingling with indigenous breeds, new types were 

 produced. 



