THE HORSE HISTORY. 471 



the blood introduced by the Roman and Gallic horse, improved 

 the horses of England ; for they were at this time prized on the 

 Continent. In Athelstan's reign, history tells us, many Spanish 

 horses were imported, which we know were largely imbued 

 with the blood of the horses of the States of Barbary. In 930 

 A. D., there was a law made to prohibit the exportation of 

 horses, which shows the characteristic desire of the English to 

 hold a monopoly of a good thing. 



Spanish, Norman, and Flanders Blood. William the 

 Conqueror improved horses of his kingdom by the importation 

 of many fine animals from Normandy, Flanders, and Spain. 

 His powerful cavalry gave him the victory at the battle of Has- 

 tings; nevertheless, he showed his appreciation of the Southern 

 and Oriental blood by riding a Spanish horse. It will be no- 

 ticed that, thus far in the history of the horse, his use has 

 been exclusively under the saddle, if we except the chariot- 

 races in ancient history. 



The Horse in Agriculture. Under William the Con- 

 queror we find the first mention of the use of the horse for 

 purposes of agriculture. It is well to bear in mind that the 

 ancient historians were monks and priests, and that book learn- 

 ing was largely confined to the monasteries, which will help us 

 to understand how it comes that so little is left recorded about 

 the development of the breed or breeds, and their use as a fac- 

 tor in the development of the nations. 



The English Begin to Use Horses. The Venerable 

 Bede, an English monk, who wrote just after the triumph of 

 the Roman over the Scottish Church, is high authority, and in- 

 forms us that the English began to use horses as early as 631 

 A. D. Ecclesiastical history tells us that Alexander I, king 

 of Scotland, presented a considerable estate and an Arab horse, 

 with valuable accouterments, to the Church of St. Andrews. 

 What this horse did for the Church or people, the monks have 

 not thought of enough importance to record. This was during 

 the reign of Henry I. 



First English Race-course. During his reign the first 

 race-course was established at Smithfield, which was used both 



