424 PREHISTORIC AND HISTORIC HORSES [CH. Ill 



and that the Greeks probably first learned this art from North 

 Africa. Finally, we have learned a lesson that all the races 

 which have in their turn held the mastery in Asia, Africa, and 

 Europe, have owed the extension of their power, or the preserva- 

 tion of their liberty, to the possession of horses, whether they 

 were Egyptians, Syrians, Libyans, Medes, Persians, Scythians, 

 Macedonians, Carthaginians, Numidians ; that the lack of horses 

 till after the conquest of Gaul was the great weakness of Rome ; 

 that the acquisition of the horse by the Arabs was a main 

 factor in the spreading of Islam ; and that had not the Franks 

 owned good horses by 732 a.d. Western Europe might have 

 been enslaved by the Saracens ; that the possession of horses 

 enabled the Normans to conquer at Hastings, and the possession 

 of great war-horses was the sure means of preserving one's own 

 country or conquering that of others throughout the Middle 

 Ages ; even when armour was discarded the new cavalry 

 mouiited on light horses became an engine of war more 

 formidable than any yet known; whilst Marlborough's great 

 victories were largely due to his cavalry. With the improve- 

 ment of fire-arms and the ability of infantry to resist cavalry it 

 seemed as though the days of the horse-soldier were over, but 

 the recent war in South Africa has shown that in the future 

 struggles of the nations mounted infantry are likely to play an 

 all-important part. Accordingly, though the place of the horse 

 under the carriage, the omnibus, the waggon, and even the 

 plough itself, may be taken by automobile engines, never in 

 the history of the world was there greater need of horses to 

 draw artillery and to carry infantry. It is therefore imperative 

 that this country should not shut its eyes to the need of 

 breeding horses suitable for war, and that careful steps should 

 be taken to preserve our good breeds and not permit them to 

 be contaminated and destroyed by rash experiments in breeding. 



