BRITISH BREED OF HORSES 107 



when horses were used as chariot horses. Judging 

 from the dexterity with which these horses were 

 managed, it may be reasonably argued that they were 

 both quick and powerful, and from the absence of any 

 proper roads they must have been very active. What 

 breed they were it is, of course, impossible to determine. 

 Evidently they were esteemed to be valuable, as Caesar 

 exported many of them to Rome, where they were 

 held in high repute and were much sought after. The 

 first cross here given to them was from the horses 

 which the Romans imported with the cavalry which 

 they brought over in order to check the frequent 

 insurrections of the natives, by maintaining a chain of 

 outposts. From this crossing by the Roman horses 

 a variety of French, Italian, and Spanish blood was 

 infused. But nothing further is heard of the breed 

 until the reign of Athelstane, who began to turn his 

 attention towards its improvement. Amongst the 

 many gifts which he received from Hugh Capet, ot 

 France, who had married his sister, were some German 

 racing stallions, which fresh infusion must have been 

 as beneficial as requisite after so long a lapse of time. 



In 930 Athelstane decreed that no horse should be 

 allowed out of the country, save as a royal gift. There 

 is a very interesting document, dated a.d. iooo, which 

 gives the following description of the law relating to 

 horses in those days : 



If a horse was destroyed or lost through ignorance, 

 the compensation demanded was thirty shillings. 



The value set on a mare or colt was twenty shillings, 

 that on a mule or ass twelve shillings, an ox thirty 

 pence, a cow twenty-four pence, a pig eight pence, 

 and, strange to say, that on a man was reckoned one 



