198 HISTORY OF 



miles, in six minutes and forty seconds. But 

 what is surprising, few horses have been since 

 found that ever could equal him ; and those of 

 his breed have been remarkably deficient. 



However this be, no horses can any way equal 

 our own, either in point of swiftness or strength ; 

 and these are the qualifications our horsemen seem 

 chiefly to value. For this reason, when the French, 

 or other foreigners, describe our breed, they all 

 mention, as a fault, the awkward and ungainly 

 motion of our horses ; they allow them to be very 

 good indeed, but they will not grant them an easy 

 or an elegant carriage.* But these writers do not 

 consider that this seeming want of grace is entire- 

 ly the result of our manner of breaking them. 

 We consult only speed and dispatch in this ani- 

 mal's motions ; the French, and other nations, 

 are more anxious for parade and spirit. For this 

 reason we always throw our horses forward, while 

 they put them upon their haunches; we give 

 them an easy swift gait of going, that covers a 

 great deal of ground ; they, on the contrary, 

 throw them back, giving them a more showy 

 appearance indeed, but one infinitely less useful. 

 The fault of our manner of breaking is, that the 

 horse is sometimes apt to fall forward ; the 

 French managed horse never falls before, but 

 more usually on one side ; and for this reason 

 the rider wears stiff* boots, to guard his legs 

 against such accidents. However, it would be a 

 very easy matter to give our horses all that grace 



* See Buffon's account of our horses. 



