60 HISTORY OF THE ENGLISH HORSE. 



continue to be. It was oi'derecl to be pnblislied in the counties of Lincoln 

 and Cambridge, and the East and North Ridings of Yorkshire ; and the 

 price of the horse was restricted to that which had been determined by 

 former monarchs. A more enlightened policy has at length banished all 

 such absu^rd interferences with agriculture and commerce. 



We can now collect but little of the history of the horse until the reign 

 of Henry VII., at the close of the fifteenth century. He continued to 

 prohibit the exportation of stallions, but allowed that of mares when more 

 than two years old ; and under the value of six shillings and eightpence. 

 This regulation was, however, easily evaded ; for if a mare could be found 

 worth more than six shillings and eightpence, she might be freely exported 

 on the paj'ment of that sum. 



The intention of this was to put an end to the exportation of perfect 

 horses ; for it is recited in the preamble ' that not only a smaller number 

 of good horses were left within the realm for the defence thereof, but also 

 that great and good plenty of the same were in parts beyond the sea, which 

 in times past were wont to be within this land, whereby the price of horses 

 was greatly enhanced,' &c. The exception of the mare, and the small sum 

 for which she might be exported, shows the unjust contempt in which she 

 was held. Another act of the same monarch, however unmllingly on his 

 part, restored her to her proper i-ank among her kind. 



It had been the custom to keep large herds of horses in the pastures and 

 common fields, and when the harvest was gathered in, the cattle of a great 

 many o^vners fed promiscuously together. The consequence of tliis was 

 that the progeny presented a strange admixture, and there was often a 

 great deterioration of the favourite and best breed. On this account 

 an act was passed prohibiting stalhons from being turned out into any 

 common pasture. This, at no great distance of time, necessarily led to 

 the castrating of all but a very few of the best stallions, and then, on 

 compai'ing the powers and work of the mare with that of the gelding, 

 she soon began to be accounted more valuable — more service was exacted 

 from her — she was taken more care of, and the general breed of horses 

 was materially improved. 



Polydore Virgil, who flourished in this reign, confirms the statements 

 already made, that ' the English horses were seldom accustomed to trot, 

 but excelled in the softer pace of the ainhle.^ 



Henry VII. was an arbitrary monarch, and seemed to be too fond of 

 prohibitory acts of parliament ; but so far as the horse was concerned they 

 were most of them politic, although tyrannical. 



Succeeding monarchs acted on the same principle, and by prohibiting 

 exportation, and encouraging a nujxierous and good breed of horses, by 

 public rewards and recompenses, every necessary incitement was afi"orded 

 rapidly to improve the breed. 



Henry VIII., a tyi'annical and cruel piince, but fond of show and 

 splendour, Avas very anxious to produce a valuable breed of horses ; and 

 the means which he adopted were perfectly in unison with his arbitrary 

 disposition, although certainly calculated to eff'ect his object. He affixed 

 a certain standard, below which no horse should be kept. The lowest 

 height for the stallion was fifteen hands, and for the mare tliirteen hands. 

 Those whose local interests were injured loudly complained of this 

 arbitrary proceeding. The small breed of Cornish horses was in a manner 

 extinguished. The dwarfish but active and useful inliabitants of the 

 Welsh mountains rapidly diminished, the Exmoors and the Dartmoors 

 were compelled to add an inch to their stature, and a more uniformly 

 Btout and useful breed of horses was produced. 



The monarch was determined to effect and to secure his object. At 



