The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1860-04-27
FARMERS COLUMN.
Written for the N-lItov5c Plot
History Of the Horse. :
NUMBER VIII.

France contains, like England, nums.t>
Gus breeds Of horses, and considerable at
teutiou has been paid to their improve
ment; but they are inferior IN beauty,
aee,uess and strength, to the English
horse The provinces however OF AuVer-
ope and Poitou produce good powers and
gallaways; but the best French horses are
bred in Linsusin and Normandy. From
the former district comes excellent saddle
horses and hunters, and from the latter
strong species, FOR the ro.d, the cavalry, or
the carriage.
The Norman horses are now much cross
ed BY the English hunters aud BY the
thorough bred. The Spanish horses will
come uext under observation. Spain was
early celebrated for her breed Of horses
The Andslusian charged and the Spanish
iennst ara familiar to all readers OF TO
nance. The subjugation of so great a
norton of the peninsula to the Moorish
sway, by introducing so much OF Barbary
blood, mainly contributed to the undisput-
ed excellence Of the Spanish horse. One
breed, long in the limbs, and graceful in
all its motions. was the favorits war horse
of the knight while another race carry
ingthe Esquire although inferiorin elegance
possessed far more strength and endurance.
The Spanish horse Of the present day is
not much unlike the Yorkshire half breed;
perhaps with flatter legs and better feet,
but not SO good figure. The Italian
horses were once in high repute, particu-
larly the Naepolitan, but ike every thing
else in those mismanaged countries, they
have sadly degsnerated. One circumstance
has mainly contributed to this falling off
IN reputation and value, viz: that the
breed has been kept up by occaMonai IN
tsrmixture. not of Eastern, but Of Europe
an blood. A few Of the Naepolitan horses
from their superior size and stateiiness, are
well dQdpLCu lSA SilC NttA A4"eo~-
TuE EHGLIsH HoRsE-~The earliest recorls
Of the horse in Great Britain is contained
in the history given by julius CESAR of
bis invasion of that Island. The British
army was accompanied by numerous war
chariots, drawn by horses. Short scythes
were fastened to the ends Of the axletrees,
sweeping down everything before them,
aud carrying terror and devastation into
the ranks Of their enemies. The conquer
or gives most animated description OF The
de1terity with which the horses were man
aged.
What kind OF horses the Britalns then
possessed, it would be useless to enquire ;
but from the cumberous structure OF the
car, and the fury with which it was drawn,
and from the badness or the non eXistance
Of the roads, they must have been both
ective and powerful ia an extraordinary
degree.
CESAR deemed them SO valuable, that
he carried many of them to Rome; aud
the British horses we're, for considerable
period afterwards, in great request IN varl-
Gus parts Of the Roman empire,
Hors IS at that time must have been ez-
ceedingly numerous in Britain, for we are
told that when the British King Cassibel-
lannus dismissed the main body of his ar
nv he retained four thousand Of bis war
chariots for the purpose Of harasslng the
Romans when they attempted to forage.
The British horse now received its first
cross but whether the breed was thereby
improved, cannot be ascertained. The Ro-
mans having established themselves in
Britain. found it necessary to send over
n mum erous body of cavalry to maintain a
chain Of posts aud check the frequent IN
snrrections of the natives. The Roman
horses would breed with those of the coun
try, and, to greater or less extent, changed
their character; and from this time the
English horse would consist Of a compound
Of the native and those from Gaul, Italy,
Spain, and every proyiuce from which the
Roman cavalry was supplied.
Many centuries afterwards passed BY,
and we have no record Of the character or
value, Improvement: or deterioration, of the
animal. T. " g.
Manitowoc, April u, 1860.
.-r I