THE HOKSES OF KO.ME 529 



art, but it appears to be the pure gift of nature. With the Persian horse 

 it is ascertained that his step is more pleasant in proportion as it is shorter; 

 in long journeys his patience is very enduring. His temper is haughty; 

 unless he is subdued by continued exercise, he is apt to be vicious and 

 stubborn; nevertheless he is sensible and intelligent, and, what is sur- 

 prising, in impetuosity he does not lose sight of propriety. In his carriage 

 his neck is curved as a bow, and this brings his chin to touch his breast." 



Thus during the age in which Vegetius lived it seems that horses of 

 various breeds existed on Roman territory, and were used for many useful 

 purposes — for the chariot and for the saddle, for ^ileasure and for war, — but 

 even at this period horses had not been yoked to the plough, the occupa- 

 tion of the farm-horse proper had not commenced; his spirited nature had 

 hitherto exempted him from agricultural labour, which was performed by the 

 mules and the oxen, and for this reason much attention was bestowed on 

 these last-named animals. Indeed, a law was enacted to protect them, and 

 so severe was it that death was the penalty for abusing them. The wearing 

 down of the hoof-horn of tuishod horses might have prevented their being 

 used for the prolonged labour of the plough, or their light build might not 

 have adapted them for drawing heavy burdens, which the lethargic dis- 

 positions of the ox and mule rendered them capable of performing with 

 comparative ease: but for war and chase the horse remained an important 

 factor, and whatever incapacitated him from these uses received the diligent 

 attention of the Romans. The greatest evil they dreaded were injuries 

 to his unshod feet. To prevent such accidents, sandals and other foot 

 armatures were prescribed. 



The Latin authors who wrote on this subject to a great extent copied 

 the writings of Grecian authors, especially in the treatment of equine dis- 

 eases and the means to be adopted in order to harden the hoofs of their 

 unshod horses. For instance, Xenophon advises that the best way to 

 harden horses' hoofs is to cause them constantly to be implanted on hard 

 stones. Columella, with the same motive in view, suggests in the place of 

 hard stones the use of oak boards for horses to stand on. 



Not only did the Romans attempt to protect their horses' feet from 

 injury, by applying sandals, &c., and by adopting measures calculated to 

 harden them; they also laid down those mighty highways, the Roman 

 roads, which were so constructed as to ensure smooth surfaces over which 

 their horses might pass. 



The existence of these roads enabled the Romans to extend their con- 

 quests, for they were thus brought in contact with nations who possessed 

 horses which were better adapted for war than their own, and which, as 

 before stated, although they were smaller than those of Italy, were more 



