132 THE HORSES OF PREHISTORIC [CH. 



whether stud or agricultural, are descended wholly, or in part, 

 from Dutch, Danish, Mecklenburg, English, and Arab sires and 

 mares imported at various times since 1712, it will be best to 

 defer our account of modern Russian breeds until after we have 

 treated of the various stocks of medieval and modern times 

 from which they are derived. 



Just as the Cossack pony from the steppes, though completely 

 modified now by foreign blood, is yet lineally descended from 

 the small steeds of the Scythians and Sarmatians, so the oldest 

 element in the breeds of the various Turko-Tartaric tribes, who 

 may be taken as the modern representatives of the Massagetae, 

 Sacae, and other cognate tribes, is probably derived from the 

 horses of the last-named peoples. 



It is very important to notice that the Massagetan horse- 

 men not only wore corselets, but also protected their horses 

 with copper breastplates, since this is one of the earliest notices 

 of the use of horse-armour. At a later period, when the Sar- 

 matians aided the Germans against Rome, they wore hauberks 

 (p. 116), and it may prove that the use of the war-coat (bellica 

 vestis) and eventually the use of horse-armour was ultimately 

 derived from the peoples of Eastern Europe and Western Asia. 



The Turcoman horses primarily belonged to the tribes of 

 Turkestan the region lying north-east of the Caspian, by 

 some termed Southern Tartary but they have spread thence 

 along with their first owners into Armenia, Persia, Mesopotamia, 

 and Asia Minor. The modern Turcomans claim the descent 

 of their horses from Arab sires, and are continually improving 

 the breed, as the Turcomans and Kurds are ever anxious to 

 obtain the service of the best Arab stallions for their mares. 

 Yet the description of this improved breed is sufficient to 

 demonstrate that it is certainly not the source of the blood- 

 horse. For, although they have wonderful powers of endurance, 

 their heads are disproportionately large, they have the barrel 

 too small and the legs too long, and are frequently ewe-necked. 



The best Turcoman horses are found only in Merv and 

 in the Persian province of Khorassan 1 . They usually stand 



1 Hayes, Points of the Horse, p. 606 (ed. 3). 



