26 - THE HORSE. 



long period removed. The soldier was cased in heavy armour. The 

 knight, with all his accoutrements, often rode more than twenty-five stone. 

 No little bulk and strength were required in the animal destined to carry 

 this back-breaking weight. When the musket was substituted for the 

 cross-bow and battle-axe, and this iron defence, cumbrous to the wearer 

 and destructive to the horse, was useless, and laid aside, the improve- 

 ment of the British horse in reality commenced. 



While Edward was thus eager to avail himself of foreign blood, with 

 the too frequent selfishness of the sportsman, he would let no neio-h- 

 bour share in the advantage. The exportation of horses was forbidden 

 under very heavy penalties. One case in which he relaxed from his 

 severity is mentioned, when he permitted a German merchant to re-export 

 some Flanders horses which he had brought on speculation ; but he was 

 strictly forbidden to send them to Scotland. Nay, so jealous were these 

 sister-kingdoms of each other's prosperity, that so late as the time of Eliza- 

 beth, it was felony to export horses from England to Scotland. 



The English horse was advancing, although slowly, to an equality 

 with, or even superiority over those of neighbouring countries. His value 

 began to be more generally and highly estimated, and his price rapidly 

 increased — so much so, that breeders and the dealers, then, as now, skilful 

 in imposing on the inexperienced, obtained from many of our young gran- 

 dees enormous prices for them. This evil magnified to such an extent, 

 that Richard II (1386) interfered to regulate and determine the price. 

 The proclamation which he issued is interesting not only as proving the 

 increased value of the horse, but shewing what were, four hundred and 

 fifty years ago, and what are, still, the chief breeding districts. It was 

 ordered to be published 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 sovereigns. A 

 more enlightened policy has at length banished all such absurd interfer- 

 ences 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 pro- 

 hibit 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 payment of that sum. 



Henry VIII., a tyrannical and cruel prince, but fond of shew and splen- 

 dour, was very anxious to produce a valuable breed of horses ; and the 

 means Avhich he adopted were both perfectly in unison with his arbitrary 

 disposition, and very little calculated to effect his object. He affixed a cer- 

 tain standard, below which no horse should be kept. The lowest height 

 for the stallion was fifteen hands, and for the mare thirteen hands ; and 

 even before they had arrived at their full growth, no stallion above two 

 years old, and under fourteen hands and a half, was permitted to run on 

 any forest, moor, or common, where there were mares. At " Michaelmas- 

 tide" the neighbouring magistrates were ordered to " drive" all forests and 

 commons, and not only destroy such stallions, but all " unlikely tits," 

 whether mares or geldings, or foals, which they might deem not calculated 

 to produce a valuable breed. He likewise ordained, that in every deer- 

 park a certain number of mares, in proportion to its size, and each at least 

 thirteen hands high, should be kept ; and that all his prelates and nobles, 



