40 The Book op the Horse. 



of the theory that our big blood-horse is the result of crosses of Oriental blood out of English 

 mares, cultivated by careful selection and generous treatment. 



Next to the Iinglish horse Markham places the "courser" of Naples, "a horse of a strong and 

 comely fashion, loving disposition, and infinite courageousness. His limbs and general features are 

 so strong and well knit together that he hath ever been reputed the only beast for the warres, 

 being naturally free from fear or cowardice. His head is long, lean, and very slender ; doth from 

 eye to the nose bend like a hawke's beak. He hath a great full eye, a sharpe eare, and a straight 

 legge, which, to an over-curious eye, might appear a little too slender; which is all the fault 

 curiositie itself can find. They be naturally of a loftie pace, loving to their rider, most strong in 

 their exercise, and to conclude, as good in all poynts that no forayne race has ever borne a tythe 

 so much excellencie." The kingdom of Naples was, when Markham wrote, a viceroyalty of Spain. 



Ne.xt to the Neapolitan he places the Turkish horse. All he had seen came from Constanti- 

 nople, "which is part of Thrace," "not of monstrous greatness, but inclining to middle size; finely 

 headed, almost as the Barbarie. They have e.Kcellent fore-hands, both for length, depth, and 

 proportion. They are of great courage and swiftness, for I have seen them used at our English 

 bell-courses. Naturally they desire to amble, and, which is most strange, their trot is full of pride 

 and gracefulness." 



Next to the Turk he places the Barbary. "They are swift beyond forayne horses, and to that 

 use only we employ them in England." 



Next to the Turk he names the genet, which he had seen in Spain. " The genet may 

 passe a carriere (run a course in tilting), some twelve or twenty score, with great puissance 

 and swiftness, but for running our English courses, which are commonly three or four miles, we 

 have not seen such virtue in them." He describes them as with fine crests, naturally taking to 

 ambling; their trot long and waving, and the animal himself not full-grown until six )'ears old. 



The High Almaine horse, "of great and high stature, having neither neatness nor fineness ; 

 some men esteem him for the shock (charge) or the manege. They are much used for warres, 

 but, I think, like their countrymen, rather for a wall or defence than either for assault or action. 

 They are great, slow, hard trotters." 



The Fleming he describes as "resembling the Almaine. His place is the draugiit, in which he 

 exceedeth all other horses." 



And the Friesland horse, is, like the Fleming, " not so tall, of a more fiery and hot 

 courage, but more fit for service ; being able to pass a short carriere, beat a curvet, and such 

 like," but vicious ; his pace being a short hard trot. 



Last he mentions the Irish hobby,* " having a fine head, strong neck, well-cast body, 

 good limbs, sure of foot, nimble in dangerous places, lively courage, tough in travel, but much 

 subject to frights and boggarts," due, Markham thinks, to the rude manner in which they 

 were handled, which " these ruder people " know not how to amend. 



That hunting had, long before public races for money, obtained the importance which 

 created tlie race-horse, is confirmed by the writings of Michael Barrett, who, in 1618, wrote a 

 fantastic book on horsemanship, full of sound precepts written in the pedantic language of the 

 age, in which he speaks of Gcrvase Markham with great respect. t 



Barrett's description of the hunting-horse of that age would not be amiss for the present 

 day, except that he says not one word about leaping, although we know from Gervase Mark- 



• "Hobby," from the French hohhin, meant "pony;" so, too, "h.ickney," from the French hnqiiinct-, Sp.mish, haicmiea, Juifa. 

 t Michael Barrett, 1618. "The Vineyard of Horsemanship. Dedicated to I'lince Charles, the Bishop of Peterborough, and 

 the gentlemen of Nottingham and Lincoliibhire. " 



