FIRST MENTION OF HOESES 93 



— Infusion ot Turkish and Barbary blood — -Arab purchased by 

 James I. — Purchase of the White Turk — The Helmsley Turk — 

 The Morocco Barb — Racing temp. Charles I. — Oliver Cromwell's 

 racing stud — Royal plates instituted — Purchase of Eastern horses 

 by Charles II. 



The first mention made of horses is in the year 

 1740 B.C., when they are spoken of as being used in 

 Egypt. When Joseph sent to bring his father into 

 Egypt the waggons were drawn by horses. At that 

 time, however, they were so scarce as not to be gener- 

 ally in use as beasts of burthen ; the corn, which in 

 those days was carried hundreds of miles, being con- 

 veyed on the backs of asses and camels. Soon after 

 this period, however, they became more numerous, and 

 were, it appears, sufficiently so to horse a considerable 

 portion of the Egyptian army. On the return of the 

 Israelites to Canaan horses had been introduced, for in 

 Joshua xi. 4 mention is made of the Canaanites going 

 out to fight against the Israelites 'with horses and 

 chariots very many.' In the seventh century the 

 Arabs possessed very few horses. The inference, 

 therefore, is that the first known horses came from 

 Egypt. 



The Thessalians and the inhabitants of Argos 

 and Athens, Egyptian colonists, were the best horse- 

 men of this period. Thus it may be reasonably sup- 

 posed that the first horses which the Arabs possessed 

 came from Egypt. Horses doubtless existed for some 

 considerable period before mankind were aware of 

 their value, or that of many other animals, and it is 

 not to be doubted that those animals which were most 

 easily caught and tamed were those which were at 

 first made use of. The benefits derived from these 

 latter subsequently led to the capture and conquest of 



