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    Transcriber's Note:

    Every effort has been made to replicate this text as faithfully as
    possible. Some changes have been made. They are listed at the end of
    the text.

    The illustration "On Saddle and Pillion" is the frontispiece, but the
    list of illustrations has it "Face p. 28".

    Italic text has been marked with _underscores_.
    Bold text has been marked with =equals signs=.




HORSES PAST AND PRESENT


[Illustration: SADDLE AND PILLION.

(From "The Procession of the Flitch of Bacon," by THOMAS STOTHARD,
R.A.)]




                                 HORSES
                            PAST AND PRESENT

                                   BY
                        SIR WALTER GILBEY, BART.

                              ILLUSTRATED

                           VINTON & Co., LTD.
                   9, NEW BRIDGE STREET, LONDON, E.C.

                                  1900




CONTENTS.


                                    PAGE

 Introduction                          1

 Before the Conquest                   2

 William the Conqueror                 5

 William Rufus                         7

 Henry I.                              7

 Henry II.                             8

 Richard I.                            9

 John                                 10

 Edward II.                           11

 Edward III.                          12

 Richard II.                          15

 Henry VII.                           17

 Henry VIII.                          18

 Edward VI. and Queen Mary            22

 Elizabeth                            24

 James I.                             30

 Charles I.                           33

 The Commonwealth                     36

 Charles II.                          38

 William III.                         41

 Queen Anne                           43

 George I.                            46

 George II.                           48

 George III.                          52

 George IV.                           59

 William IV.                          60

 Her Majesty Queen Victoria           62

 Light Horses: Breed--Societies       88

 Heavy Horses: Breed--Societies       89




ILLUSTRATIONS.


 A Cart-Horse of the XVth Century       Face p. 16

 On Saddle and Pillion                   "      28

 Guy, Earl of Warwick, XVIth Century     "      32

 The Darley Arabian                      "      46

 Jacob Bates, The Trick Rider            "      52

 Grey Diomed                             "      55

 Hunter Sire, Cognac                     "      64

 The Hack Hunter                         "      70

 The Norfolk Phenomenon                  "      80




_This brief history of the Horse in England to the close of the
nineteenth century is a compilation which, it is hoped, may prove
useful as well as interesting._

_So much has been done to improve our breeds of horses since the year
1800, and so many and important have been the changes in our methods
of travel, in the use of heavy horses in agriculture, in hunting,
racing and steeplechasing, that the latter portion of the book might be
amplified indefinitely._

_It is not thought necessary to do more than touch briefly upon the
more important events which have occurred during Her Majesty's reign._

_The interesting and instructive work by Mr. Huth, which contains the
titles of all the books written in all languages relating to the Horse
shows that the number published up to the year 1886 exceeds 4,060: and
since that date, works on the Horse, embracing veterinary science,
breeding, cavalry, coaching, racing, hunting and kindred subjects,
have been issued from the publishing houses of Europe at the rate of
about two per month. During the ten years 1886-95 upwards of 232 such
works were issued, and there has been no perceptible decrease during
the last four years._

_Under these circumstances an apology for adding to the mass of
literature on the Horse seems almost necessary._

                                                                      WG

 _Elsenham Hall, Essex,
     November, 1900._




HORSES PAST AND PRESENT.


First among animals which man has domesticated, or brought under
control to do him service, stands the horse. The beauty of his form,
his strength, speed and retentive memory, alike commend him to
admiration; the place he holds, whether in relation to our military
strength, our commercial and agricultural pursuits, or our pleasures,
is unique. Whether as servant or companion of man the horse stands
alone among animals.

There can be no doubt but that the horse was broken to man's service at
an early period of the world's history. The art of taming him was first
practised by the peoples of Asia and Africa, who earliest attained to
a degree of civilisation; but whether he was first ridden or driven is
a question which has often been debated with no definite result. The
earliest references to the use of horses occur in the Old Testament,
where numerous passages