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size of our English breed of Great Horses ; 
he imported from Flanders one hundred 
stallions of large size. The Low Countries, 
in the Early and Middle Ages, were the 
breeding grounds of the largest and most 
powerful horses known: and John’s importa- 
tions must have wrought marked influence 
upon the British stock. He also purchased 
horses in Spain which are described as 
Spanish dextrari?, or Great Horses. Dex- 
trarius was the name by which the war 
horse was known at this period and_ for 
centuries afterwards. 
EDWARD II. (1307-1327). 
Edward II. devoted both energy and 
money to the task of improving our horses. 
We have record of several horse-buying 
commissions despatched by him to the Cham- 
paign district in France, to Italy and other 
parts vaguely described as ‘beyond seas.” 
One such commission brought home from 
Lombardy thirty war horses and_ twelve 
others of the heavy type. There can be no 
doubt but that the foreign purchases of 
Edward II. were destined for stud purposes ; 
the more extensive purchases of his suc- 
cessor, Edward II1I., suggest that he required 
horses for immediate use in the ranks. 
