340 
Breeding of Hunters and Roadsters. 
before we find any distinct record of the importations of horses 
from the Eastern nations and the south of Europe. Early in 
the 17th century, King James I. bought of Mr. Markham an 
Arabian horse, imported from the East by the latter. This 
horse is reported to have been the first of that breed ever 
seen in England ; but it would be hard to establish the truth 
of this assertion. Since Britain long continued to be a de- 
pendency of Rome, herself the mistress of the whole civilized 
world, so that lines of communication were constantly open 
from east to west, and especially traversed by the armies of the 
Empire, is it not probable that Roman officers availed themselves 
of opportunities of possessing Eastern horses, and that some of 
these accompanied them into the far West ? To show that the 
English horse was of no mean character, when the Arabian 
above alluded to was brought over, I will quote the authority of 
one who was generally reputed the best judge of horses of that 
time. The Duke of Newcastle, speaking from his own know- 
ledge, "describes the Arabian which was imported and sold by 
Mr. Markham to the King to have been of a bay colour, a little 
horse, and no rarity of shape." (^Beranrjer.) The value to be 
attached to the above quotation is the evidence it affords of the 
relative high standard of the English horse of the time. 
In devising means to establish the best possible stamp of 
hunters, our wisest course is to take systematically into con- 
sideration the prevailing defects in the breeding of the several 
distinct classes of horses from which the supply is derived, 
more especially those classes whence the most powerful and 
active mares should come. Disregard for the equilibrium to be 
kept up amongst these several classes has been a potent cause of 
the falling-off in the number of good hunters of late years. 
During the progress of descent tluough successive generations 
there are always agencies in operation which tend to make horses 
become lighter and lose stamina, unless rational management 
keeps the stock strong and pure. Simple neglect produces dete- 
rioration, especially if it leads to the use of a bad stallion. Bad 
blood-horses have been too much used, and mares of their stock too 
often retained to supply the places of their dams and grandams, 
while the sale of the latter has often proved a permanent loss 
both to the breeder and to the district to which they belong. 
With the increased demand for exportation of the finest mares, 
the difficulty increases of supplying their places, and even pro- 
ducing stallions of their class ; indeed, the course of events leads 
rather to tobil dispersion than to mere deterioration or numerical 
scarcity. J'liough 1 submit that good blood-stallions are alone 
reliable for tlie production of hunters, and that the mares should 
also be closely u]) to the required standard for speed, and whilst 
