26 THE HORSE. 



large horses. The Bayeux tapestry re- 

 presents the Ijoats of the hivading army 

 full of horses. " Every knight has a 

 small hack on which he rides without 

 armour, whilst his o^-eat war-horse is led 

 by a squire." 

 The Bayeax From the character of this picture 



tapestry. 



we learn that the large war-horse and 

 small nag were contemporaries of the 

 Anglo-Norman period. The tournament 

 charger was not of the same powerful 

 breed as those which represent our 

 wagon horses of the present day. They 

 were animals not sixteen hands high and 

 possessed little more stamina than a 

 brougham - horse of to-day. The small 

 nag was also a mere pony. Its primary 

 origin might have been derived from 

 Greek or Roman sources : but it was 



