an exclamation, of joy and the common horses had to clear the field. 

 Three jockeys, or sometimes only two, prepared for the race. The 

 horses were not without ambition, they trembled with impatience and 

 kept constantly in motion. Finally, when the sign was given, they 

 broke away and dashed with great speed to the end of the course; 

 animated, and hopeful of applause and victory, the riders spurred 

 their willing mounts, swung their whips and tried to urge them by 

 shouting." His description reminds us of the longer races of to-day and 

 proves the value of the Knglish horse, even before its improvement by 

 the introduction of Oriental blood had been attempted. 



Immediately after this the crusades began. Undoubtedly the 

 crusaders might have enriched their country with choice Oriental 

 horses, but they were entirely -wrapped tip in superstition and ro- 

 mance, and so lost this opportunity. 



An old romance speaks of two (probably Oriental) horsss, which 

 Richard the lion hearted, acquired on the Island of Cyprus, that neither 

 horses nor camels could equal them in speed, and that they conld not 

 have been bought for two thotisand pounds in gold. 



The price of horses at that time varied a great deal. In the year 

 1185, fifteen brood mares -were sold for two pounds, twelve shillings 

 and six-pence ; they were bought by the crown and distributed to the 

 vassals, each of whom paid four shillings. Twenty years later, ten 

 stallions brought no less than twenty pounds a piece, and twelve years 

 after this, the sum of thirty -eight pounds was paid for a pair of horses 

 imported from Lombardy. The usual price for a good saddle horse was 

 ten pounds, and for a hired wagon or cart, with two horses, ten-pence 

 per day were charged. G-reat credit is due to King John for the care 

 he gave to agriculture in general and horse breeding in particular. He 

 imported one hundred select stud horses from Flanders, which added 

 much to a production of a wel! bred draught horse in England. 



John established numerous and valuable studs; he eagerly craved 

 the possession of any excellent horse and took pleasure in receiving 

 from his vassals magnificent horses, instead of money for a fine which 

 was due, or for rights and privileges granted them. He took pride in 

 his cavalry, which he endeavored to perfect as well as the horses used 

 in tournaments and for luxury. 



One hundred years later Edward the second, bought in Lombardy, 

 thirty war and twelve heavy draught horses. The countries from 

 which at that time the greater part of Europe procured their better 

 horses, were Lombardy, Italy and Spain. Flanders supplied the horses 

 required for agricultural purposes. 



Edward the third purchased fifty Spanish horses and attached 

 such importance to this addition to the English or rather to the mixed 

 blood of the period, that he made a formal application to the Kings of 

 Spain and France, for the protection of the consignment of horses 

 during their transportation. "When they had safely arrived, it was 

 calculated, that the cost of each horse was no less than thirteen pounds, 



