Andalusian Horses. 135 



horsemanship disappeared, to be replaced by racing and hunting, and the value of blood, power, 

 and size, as united in the EngUsh thoroughbred, became acl<no\vledged tliroughout Europe. 



Gervase Markham, the Duke of Newcastle, Cox, Barrett, and, lastly, Berengcr (who wrote a 

 book dedicated to George III. in 1771) all refer to the Spanish or Neapolitan horse as unrivalled 

 for war and the manege, and the older writers even name him as a stallion to be employed 

 for improving the breed of English horses. 



For the following description of the modern Spanish war-horse — the horse on which the 

 murdered General Prim appears mounted in the celebrated picture by the French artist Regnault 

 — I am indebted to the late Mr. Thomas Rice, V.S., who took charge of the stud of the late 

 Lord Bailing when British Minister in Spain : — 



"The Spanish horse stands generally from 15 to 16 hands, with rather a large bony head, in 

 shape like the face of a Merino sheep (thence called el carncro) with full eye, and large expanding 

 nostrils, which denote his remarkable vigour and power, a shortish muscular neck, strong shoulders 

 rather narrow in the back, but with magnificent quarters — thighs, hocks, and hind-legs placed 

 well under them ; the arms, fore -legs, and feet are as good generally as can be, feet well formed, 

 short cannon-bones, and back tendons strong and standing well out. All elasticity and action in 

 walk', trot, canter — faster than this they should not be asked to move, as at a forced pace they 

 lose their beauty of motion, and appear to be disconcerted from the extravagance of their action. In 

 my opinion no horse is superior, either in the park or on parade, to a well-bred and broken Spanish 

 horse of the best breed, such as that known as the Don Carlos, or those of the Duke de Berwick y 

 Abba, at Carpui, near Cordova ; or those of the Marquis Alcanices, now the Duke de Sestos, a 

 few miles from Madrid ; of the Dukes de Burrowers and Abrantes ; the Marquis de Perales ; and 

 several other noblemen near Baclen and Cadiz. These families brand all the horses they breed 

 on the rump. This disfigures them to an English eye. The constitution of this breed is stronger 

 than that of any other foreign horses that I have met with ; roaring and whistling are un1<nown 

 amongst them. They rarely fall, trip, or stumble ; they are generous and free, either in riding 

 or driving, if properly used. Although entire, they are docile. They know the value of a good 

 horse in Spain, and a first-class one will cost from 25,000 to 35,000 reals, or 250 to 350 

 guineas. 



" The Spanish marcs of this breed, as a rule, do not run so large as the horses. They 

 are very seldom broken or used, but arc simply kept for breeding purposes ; and are rarely 

 fed as they should be in order to produce fine animals. In the spring and summer they have 

 plenty, but in the winter they seldom get anything but straw. They run wild in herds, and 

 can only be approached by the men that attend them. They are powerful animals, with the 

 best-shaped legs and feet possible ; rather coarse heads, and inclined to be too low at the 

 setting-on of the tail, or, in common English, goose-rumped. I crossed several of these 

 mares with the Kedger. This horse had a beautiful small head, a strong straight back, with 

 tail set on high, points which exactly counteracted what was unsightly in the Spanish mare. 

 The produce at four years old were very good-looking, with action, power, size, and substance 

 enough for almost any purpose. In fact, I don't think it possible to have a finer cross for 

 general use than the English pure-bred horse and the Spanish mare. I have also bred from 

 the Cleveland coaching and Yorkshire and Norfolk trotting stallion, also from the pure 

 .Arab. All the crosses seem to combine well with the Spanish mare except the Arab. To 

 the latter they did not appear to 'nick;' I mean, they did not increase in power or height, 

 or give the produce the beautiful head and straight quarters that distinguish the high-caste 

 Arab. There is nothing like what we call cart-blood in Spain ; all heavy draught is done by 



