THE ITALIAN HORSE. 41 



horse ; which from that time maintained their superiority un- 

 disputed, until outdone by the superior offspring of their own 

 blood, bred on British and American soil, by the aid of western 

 enterprise and the lights of western science. 



Of the Italian horse, therefore, it may, I think, safely be pre- 

 dicated that it has been from all time, what it is now, nearly a 

 worthless animal. 



It must not, however, be overlooked in the history of the 

 horse, that, how little soever it may owe of blood to the Komans 

 directly, the race throughout all western Europe is probably in- 

 debted more largely to those world-conquerors, indirectly, than 

 to many individuals and nations, who have purposely encour- 

 aged the production and aimed at the improvement of this no- 

 ble animal. 



Their constant habit of guarding and garrisoning one con- 

 quered province, by the mercenary or subsidiary contingents 

 raised from another, and their very deficiency of indigenous 

 horses, leading to the employment of the best equestrian na- 

 tions of their subjects or allies, brought about a constant rota- 

 tion of breeds, and strains of blood, in all the provinces, an ad- 

 vantage which Italy ^itself did not share, and consequently a 

 constant admixture oJE" the native with the best imported ani- 

 mals. 



For it will be remembered that the Barbaric tribes all rode 

 perfect stallions ; and it cannot be doubted, but that the native 

 mares would be brought into constant familiarity and connec- 

 tion with the foreigners. 



Whence came originally the Gaulish and British stock, is, 

 as I have above mentioned, doubtful. There are some reasons 

 for believing the horse to have been indigenous to Great Britain, 

 and possibly to Gaul also. It is quite as probable, however, 

 that this race may have been introduced into France by eques- 

 trian tribes, migrating to the northward of the Alps, as we know 

 that tribes did migrate, from the plains of Scythia, Thrace, and 

 Carpathia, and thence introduced across the channel to England, 

 where they were found by Csesar. 



Certain it is, at all events, that, when the Belgic, Celtic, 

 Germanic, and Britannic tribes were first known to the Romans, 

 they were all possessed of numerous and formidable cavalries ; 



