size of our English breed of Great Horses ; 

 he imported from Flanders one hundred 

 stallions of large size. The Low Countries, 

 in the Early and Middle Ages, were the 

 breeding grounds of the largest and most 

 powerful horses known : and John's importa- 

 tions must have wrought marked influence 

 upon the British stock. He also purchased 

 horses in Spain which are described as 

 Spanish dextrarii, or Great Horses. Dex- 

 trarius was the name by which the war 

 horse was known at this period and for 

 centuries afterwards. 



EDWARD II. (1307-1327). 



Edward II. devoted both energy and 

 money to the task of improving our horses. 

 We have record of several horse-buying 

 commissions despatched by him to the Cham- 

 paign district in France, to Italy and other 

 parts vaguely described as "beyond seas." 

 One such commission brought home from 

 Lombardy thirty war horses and twelve 

 others of the heavy type. There can be no 

 doubt but that the foreign purchases of 

 Edward II. were destined for stud purposes ; 

 the more extensive purchases of his suc- 

 cessor, Edward III., suggest that he required 

 horses for immediate use in the ranks. 



