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THE HISTORY OF THE HORSE. 
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The chariots were named Biga, Quadriga, &c., from the number 
of horses yoked to them : these were always arranged abreast, how¬ 
ever numerous; and Suetonius relates, that at the Olympic Games, 
Nero made use of a decemjugis, or chariot drawn by ten horses 
thus yoked. 
Caligula paid divine honours to his horse, and fed him from 
vessels of gold in a manger of ivory. 
The allusions to the horse, and subjects connected with him, 
become now so numerous in the Latin classics, that we will pass 
on to an author who has embodied in his writings the pith and 
spirit of their united productions; namely, Vegetius, a Byzantine 
nobleman, who flourished towards the close of the fourth century, 
in the reign of Valentinian II. His works were a sealed book 
during the long night of Gothic darkness; but on the revival of 
learning by Francis I, who commanded the translation of the Con¬ 
stantine collection, they were translated into Latin, and thence into 
the modern languages of Europe. From them we may trace the 
first work on veterinary subjects published in England, by Blun- 
deville, in the reign of Elizabeth, which was chiefly a compila¬ 
tion from ancient authors who had written on the subject. 
The first mention of horses in England is by Julius Caesar, who 
remarks that, on his first invasion, the Britons had great numbers 
well trained to warlike exercises. The Romans, probably, con¬ 
tributed little to improve the breed of horses, since no trace of 
amendment are to be found during so many ages. There is a tra¬ 
dition, that the English mares and stallions were so valued by the 
Saxons, that Athelstan prohibited their exportation except as 
presents. 
Roger de Bellgine, created Earl of Shrewsbury by William the 
Conqueror, is the first who is recorded to have made attempts 
towards the ameliorating our native breed. He introduced Spanish 
stallions into his estate at Powisland, in Wales; from which that 
part of the country was for ages after famed for a swift race of 
horses. Strength and swiftness were then more important than 
shape, as the form of the horse was entirely hid by the armour at 
that time in use. The number of horses in the time of Stephen is 
said to have amounted to 20,000. 
In the reign of Henry VII and VIII more particular attention 
was paid to the important improvement of the breed of our horses. 
The regulations made, and the means employed, were in unison 
with those unenlightened times, and consisted in arbitrary direc¬ 
tions and impolitic restraints, not calculated to advance the intended 
purpose. Magistrates were empowered at Michaelmas tide to 
scour the heaths and commons, and put to death all mares consi¬ 
dered of insufficient size to bear good foals ; and the prohibition of 
