418 
MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 
It seems certain that Egypt was the first country in 
which the breed of horses was first improved, and from 
whence most of the early Eastern monarchs procured their 
studs. Solomon obtained many from thence ; and although 
it abounded in horses, still I think it more than probable 
that the Egyptians obtained their best steeds from the 
south, as the local situation of that country was but ill 
adapted to preserve them in perfection. This monarch, as 
well as several of his successors, obtained coursers from 
Togarmah, now understood to be the modern Cappadocia, or 
the lands which border the Euxine Sea, which was in 
early times the seat of several flourishing and powerful 
kingdoms. 
To trace the history of the progress of the horse from 
that period to the present times would require a larger 
space than our limits will admit, and we must now turn to 
that part of his history which refers to the place of his 
nativity. 
Left only to conjecture, we can only suppose, from a 
combination of circumstances, that Asia was the original 
country of the horse; for there he is found to the present 
day roving in unrestrained freedom, and we are without 
any historical record of his having been introduced by man 
into those extensive wilds. One thing is quite certain, that 
he was not found either in America or New Holland on the 
original discovery of these continents. The great tract of 
desert country around the Sea of Aral, as well as those of 
the Caspian Sea, have been supposed to be the native resi- 
autnentic copies of the text are corrupted. We should conceive that 
four thousand was a large number. This indeed is stated to be the 
number in 2 Chronicles, chapter ix. verse 25th; and even the parallel 
passage in 1 Kings, chapter iv. verse 26th, commonly translated fortv 
thousand, will bear to be so interpreted ” 
