19 



a vigorous attempt to weed out the ponies 

 whose small size rendered them useless. 



It is to be borne in mind that the King's 

 legislation against the animals that ran in the 

 forests and wastes aimed definitely at the 

 greater development and perfection of the 

 Great Horse. Armour during Henry VIII.'s 

 time had reached its maximum weight, and 

 a horse might be required to carry a load 

 of from 25 to 30 stone ;* hence very power- 

 ful horses were indispensable. 



Henry's interest in horseflesh was not 

 confined to the breed on which the effi- 

 ciency of his cavalry depended. He was 

 a keen sportsman, who took a lively pleasure 

 in all forms of sport, and he appears to have 

 been the first king who ran horses for his 

 own amusement. It would hardly be correct 

 to date the beginnings of the English Turf 

 from Henry VIII.'s reign, as the "running 

 geldings " kept in the Royal Stables at 

 Windsor seem to have been run only against 

 one another in a field hired by the king for 

 the purpose. 



The Privy Purse Expenses contain very 

 curious scraps of information concerning 



* See The Great Horse or War Horse (p. 26). Third 

 edition. By Sir Walter Gilbey, Bart. Vinton & Co., 

 Ltd. 1899. 



