leading manure, corn and hay." When 

 horses began to be employed by ordinary 

 occupiers of land they were animals by no 

 means remarkable for strength and sub- 

 stance ; " stots " and ''affers," as these were 

 called, were of a stamp distinct from the 

 "Strong" or "Great" horses which In those 

 days were bred and reserved for purposes 

 neither agricultural nor commercial. 



The early foundation stock from which 

 Investigation proves that our modern Shire 

 horses are descended was brought to a high 

 state of perfection for Its special purpose, not 

 only by the judicious Introduction of foreign 

 blood, but by wise enactments of the Legis- 

 lature. We find In the old Statute Books 

 numerous Acts of Parliament which supported 

 private skill and enterprise In the endeavour 

 to Improve an animal on which, It may fairly 

 be said, the safety of the nation In no small 

 measure depended. 



The facts which It Is proposed to set before 

 the reader are, for the most part, the fruit of 

 careful research among old records ; and It 

 must be added that figures worked In 

 tapestry, rude paintings of Incidents and 

 illustrations which sometimes occur In these 

 records, have frequently been more helpful 

 than the manuscripts themselves. The 



