CHAPTER XXX 

 ORIGIN OF THE TYPES OF HORSES 



Several wild species of horses existed in Europe and Asia from 

 very remote times, but it was in Asia Minor and Egypt that the horse 

 was first domesticated and made to serve man. He was taken thence 

 to Greece, Rome, and Arabia; thence to more remote parts of Europe 

 and Asia, particularly to Spain, France, and England; and thence to 

 America and Australia. 



For a long time the horses used by the early European tribes and 

 nations were small, semi-wild animals, and no effort was made to im- 

 prove them by breeding. They were used principally in warfare, 

 harnessed to chariots. However, there were horses of black color and 

 much greater size and weight native to the t-egion in western Europe 

 now called Flanders, and these were taken south and east, just as the 

 horses of Asia Minor and Egypt were taken north and west. The 

 infusion of the blood of this large Flemish horse increased the size of 

 European horses and made them suitable for riding and other purposes. 



The development and progress of the horse was parallel with the 

 development of civilization and a prominent factor in it. The horse 

 was first used for military purposes; next, in ceremonies, both religious 

 and civil; third, in the agricultural and commercial pursuits of nations; 

 fourth, in connection with the pastimes and sports of nations. 



First saddle horse. — The Arabian horse was the first breed of live 

 stock developed by man. This horse is a saddle type and was de- 

 veloped for use in warfare. The exact origin is unknown, but it seems 

 to have descended directly from the wild Libyan horse native to north- 

 ern Africa — most excellent of all known wild varieties of the horse. 

 The Arabian has for centuries possessed such exquisite quality, refine- 

 ment, intelligence, spirit, docility, and beauty as to make him universal- 

 ly admired and famous. He was taken to England at the close of the 

 seventeenth century and was used in founding the English Thorough- 

 bred and also the Norfolk Trotter which later became the Hackney. 

 In Russia he helped produce the Orloff Trotter, and the Percheron 

 breed of France is also thought to owe some of its excellence to Arab 

 blood in its foundation. Inasmuch as the Yorkshire Coach Horse, 

 Cleveland Bay, American Trotting Horse, American Saddle Horse, and 

 the Morgan are all sprung largely from the Thoroughbred, every breed 

 of light horses carries the blood of the Arab in greater or less degree. 



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