Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1862-08-01
WHAT Is A THOROUGH BRED
HORSE1 - - -

In former article the writer referred to
Youatt, and Prof. Low, on what constitutes an
English thorough bred horse. Stonshenge.
n highly approved standard author on the
horse, and of more recent date than either
quoted thus far, !devotes chapter of his large
and valuable work to the discussion Of the
English thorough bred horse"
At the time Of the Roman invasion Of the
British Island. the horse was used there in
chsriots and as cavalry. But England never
became remarkable for her breed Of horses
until the timesef the sStuMts, who paid great
attention to the Improvement Of the horse
and imported several Arab stations and
mares. In the reign of Henry Will, the
want Of good horses was so generally felt,
that an act was passed forbidding any entire
horse older than two years, and less than
fifteen hands high, from being turned out in
any common or waste lands within the hor.
ders of some. 25 counties in England, inclu-
ding also North and South Wales. In other
counties, the limit was fourteen hands,
Small. weedy mares and foals were ordered
to be destroyed : and the owners Of horses
infected with contagious diseases. who turn,
ed them out, were fined ten shillings These
were good laws.
q Still the deficiency was such. that in the
threatened INVASION by the Spanish Armada
in the time of Elizabeth, only 5000 horses
could be collected for the cavalry. On board
the Spanish ships were great numbers Of The
| Andalusion horses, then considered the best
in Europe. These being taken possession -oi
BY the victorious Admiral. were of great ser
vice in improving the horses of England
The invention of coaches, taking place in the
reign of good Queen Bess, gave an additional
reason for the raising Of large and more pow
erful horses. Racing had long been estab.
lishcd. No sooner was a light cavalry de-
pmand than double impetus was given to
the amusement, and Arabs, Barbs and Turks,
were imported in large numbers, for breed.
ing animals for, the saddle and turf. This
was about the middle Of the 18th century.
The Duke Of Newcastle, banishcd in the
time of the Commonwealth. occupied himself
while at Antwerp in writing book on the
horse This was between 1850 and l66O.-
| He describes the horses of his day as follows:
1.-THE Turkish horse stands high, though OF
unequal shape, being remarkably beautiful
and active. with plenty of power, and excel
lent wind, but rarely possesses good mouth.
Much praise is given to the grandeur and
carriage ofthe Neapolitan horses, and in truth.
they are fine animals. those have seen being
lal &c, strong, and full of spirit / have not
only seen several Spanish horses, but several
have been in my possession. They are ex-
trenely beautiful, and most eligible of any,
either to form subjects for the artist, or TO
carry monarch, when, surrounded by the
pomp and dignity of majesty, he would show
himself to his people for they are neither so
int . ha 10 1or H.
Neapolitans, but the perfection of both. The
Barb possesses superb and high actions, is an
elcelleat tr0tter and galloper, and very active
when in motion: Although generally not 50
strong as other breeds, when well chosen, |
do not know more noble horse and have
read strange accounts Of their courage; for
example, when so badly wounded that their
entrals have protruded. they have carried
their riders safe out Of danger, with the same
spirit with which they entered it, and then
dropped, dead"
The war horse Of that period resembles the
Flemish Hanoverian blacks, now in England,
but of greater parts. Gradually by the intro
duction Of foreign blood, breed Of horses
was made, quite celebrated throughout the
world for more than a century, for speed
power, and beauty, ''in all efwhich qualities"
says Stonchenge, from whom the writer has
condensed the foregoing sketch of the early
history of the horse Of England, "the pres
ent stock excel their parents on both sides"
adding that "muct of this excellence is due
to the climate and soil. favorable to the growth
Of grasses exactly suited to the delicate stom-
ach of the horse"
But without care and Judgment in the 50.
lection and breeding Of the heysa. our anees-