OF HORSEMANSHIP. 1^9 



England has at all times, even in its rudeft ftate, 

 been pofleflcd of a breed of horfes fufEcient to anfwer 

 every purpofe for which they were given. Cafar^ 

 when he invaded this ifland, found its inhabitants 

 not only well furnifhed with horfes, but alfo very 

 dextrous and expert in the management of them. * He 

 fpeaks of their fcythed chariots, and celebrates their 

 fkill and addrefs in driving them j fo that it is certain 

 the ufe of horfes muft have been long familiar to 

 them, and the creature much valued, if, in a ftate 

 bordering on favagenefs, they knew the art of taming 

 it fo well. From thefe early and dark times the horfe 

 has always flouriflied and been cheriiLed with lingu- 

 lar attention in this kingdom. 



I4 is neverthelefs impolTible to trace or give any de-^ 

 fcription of the fpecies ; for, as a judicious and 

 learned f naturalift obferves, " Thofe which exift 

 «« among the Indigena of Great Britain, fuch as the 

 « horfes of Wales and Cornwall, the Hobbies of Ire- 

 ** land, and the Shehies of Scotland, though admirably 

 " well adapted to the ufes of thofe countries, could 

 " never have been equal to the work of war." 



This is probably true j but we cannot hence con- 

 elude that tliere might not have been a ilouter and 

 larger breed in feveral other parts of England, where 

 the paftures are rich, and afford more nourifhment, 



* Strabo fays they ufed ornaments df ivory in their bridles. Lib. iv. 



-^ Pennant's Brit. Zoolog. 



iir 



