4 HORSE. Clafsl. 



difcipHne of our horfes, even ftriick terror into C^far*s 

 legions : it is now impoffible to trace out this fpecies-j 

 for thofe which exiil among the indigent of GreaS 

 Britain^ (vtch as the little horles oi' PFales and Cornwall 

 the hobbies of Ireland^ and the fhelties of Scotland, 

 though admirably well adapted to the ufes of thofe 

 countries, could never have been equal to the work 

 of war. Thofe we employ for that purpofe, or for 

 the draught, are an off-fpiing of the German or Fk- 

 mijh breed, meliorated by our foil, and a judicious 

 culture. 



The EngHjh were ever attentive to an exadf culture 

 of thefe animals; and in very early times fet a high 

 value on their breed. The eileem that our horfes 

 were held in by foreigners fo long ago as the reign 

 of Athelfian^ may be collefted from a law of that 

 monarch prohibiting their exportation, except they 

 were defigned as prefents. Thefe muft have been the 

 native kind, or the prohibition would have been 

 needlefs, for our commerce was at that time too 

 limited to receive improvement from any but the 

 Germain. kind i to which country theli'own breed could' 

 be of no value. 



But when our intcrcourfe with the other parts of 

 Europe was enlarged, v/e foon layed hold of the 

 advantages this gave of improving our breed. Roger 

 de Bekfnie^ Earl of Shrewjhury *, is the firft that is 

 on record : he introduced the SpaniJIj ftallions into his 

 eftate in Fcwifiar.d, from which that part of V/ales 

 was for many ages celebrated for a fwift and generous 



* Created by William the Conqueror. 



