BREEDING SOCIETIES 97 



probably meant a horse of the breed now known as the Jutland 

 horse, was celebrated from the early part of the Middle Ages, 

 and was one of the chief sources of income of the kingdom. 

 In the first part of the thirteenth century, as mentioned in 

 King Wolmer's Land Record (showing the king's revenue), 

 there was a large export of horses, as many as 8400 going every 

 year from Ribe (S.W. Jutland). The kings, knights, abbots 

 and yeomen were all interested in horse breeding. The 

 Frederiksborg Royal Stud for lighter horses was formed in 

 the middle of the sixteenth century, and several Royal Decrees 

 were issued to regulate horse-breeding ; one by Christian IV., 

 for instance, extended by a decree of 16th June, 1686, required 

 all noble landowners and other estate owners to keep a number 

 of brood mares according to the size of their estates ; even 

 country parsons were to keep two mares. A fine of about 

 £5 a year was imposed for each mare short of the required 

 number. By a decree of 23rd December, 1778, the State 

 began giving prizes for staUions and later on also for mares. 

 The breeding was improved by crossmg with stallions from 

 the Royal Stud at Frederiksborg, and by imported stallions. 

 During the last century the Frederiksborg breed was im- 

 proved by thoroughbreds, stallions from the East and others, 

 and was the leading breed in Sealand. Even in Jutland, with 

 its native breed of fine heavy" horses, crossing with the lighter 

 Frederiksborg stallions was practised, a stud being formed in 

 1824 at Moesgaard near Aarhus, from which the stallions 

 travelled all over Jutland during spring. To strengthen this 

 stud many half-bred Yorkshire stallions were imported. Also 

 thoroughbred racehorses were imported, and race-courses made 

 near several towns. BHcher, the pastor mentioned in the 

 preceding chapter, with several others was strongly opposed 

 to this introduction of foreign blood, and wanted the native 

 breed of Jutland horses developed. The stud at Moesgaard 

 ceased in 1837, but was renewed in 1843 at Kolding with 

 EngUsh half-bred staUions. This gave good results from the 

 first crossing, but the following generations became more and 

 more disappointing as time went on. By the Law of 1852, 

 on Improving the Breeding of Domestic Animals, prizes by i 

 the State, which had ceased about 1840, were re-introduced, 



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