THE OLD ENGLISH WAR-HORSE OR SHIRE-H WALTER GILBEY TWO SHILUNQS O illy advocates other breeders doing likewise Ibey's stud recently attracted particular ^ ', owing to the fact that H.R.H. the Princ- , naid it a visit with Lord and Lady E ' w'+'i them in'' ' >ihn> -v,-v %.i/rn.t^i^*^^^ —1^^ / /)a^^^^^^^ THE OLD ENGLISH WAR-HORSE OR THE GREAT HORSE as it appears, at intervals, in Contemporary Coins and Pictures during the centuries of its development into the SHIRE-HORSE WITH NOTES Compiled by WALTER GI LBEY 1888 PUBLISHED BY VINTON & CO., LIMITED, 9 New Bridge Street, Blackfriars, LONDON. Webster hanniy Ubrsry ot vcjtennary Medicine Cummings School c' Vti'.rinary Medicine at Tufts University 200 Westboro Road North Grafton, MA 01S36 FRONTISPIECE This picture is a represention of the equestran figure, in tilting armour, now standing in the Tower ot London. The armour is supposed to have belonged to Charles Brandon, Duke of Suffolk, the brother-in- law of Heniy VIII., and so described as early as i66o. This picture illustrates the remarks quoted from Holinshead on page 9, the weights of the armour as given by the officials at the Tower being :— Man's Armour, gqlb. 90Z ; Horse's Armour, 8olb. 150Z. ; add to this the probable weight of the man, say i6 stone (2241b.) ; equal 28 stone i2lbs Soz., or 4041b. 8oz. It will thus be seen that the writer quoted on page 9 was not overstating the fact when he asserted that the horses of the period, " will carrie four hundred weight commonlie." The picture is from a sketch made by Mr. F. Babbage. TO FIELD-MARSHAL H.R.H, THE DUKE OF CAMBRIDGE, Commander-in-Chief of Her Majesty'' s Forces The great interest taken by your Royal Highness in all that conduces to improvement in the breeding and rearing of horses of all classes — but more particularly in those most useful to the State — and your readiness at all times to give your valuable aid to those Societies which have this object in view much increases the value of your kind permission to dedicate to your Royal Highness this small volume containing a brief history of the most ancient breed in England. Your obedient servant, WALTER GILBEY. Elsciihnm Hall, Essex, July, 1888 PREFACE. The following pages have been strung together from a series of notes which were made during recent research into the antecedents of that description of English heavy-draught horse which has, of late, been generally termed the Shire- bred. This enquiry has led to the conclusion that the Shire Horse is the purest survival of an earlier type ; which was spoken of, by medieval writers, as the Great Horse. If this horse did not originate in England, this country at a very early date acquired a wide-spread reputation for producing it. Indeed the English "Great Horse" seems to have been a native development of that British "War-Horse" whose strength, courage, and aptitude for discipline are spoken of, in high terms, by the chronicler of the Roman Legions, at their first landing upon these shores. It would be easy to multiply ad ijifinitiDii such evidence as it is proposed to quote. But it is not the intention to encumber this narrative unnecessarily, still less to claim for it the possession of any information which those who are in- terested in the subject may not, with an equal amount of patient reading obtain for themselves. These pages are written for convenient reference for those who have no great leisure ; and yet have a desire to possess in a concise form the main facts as to the origin and development of this truly noble and most useful animal — and to point out the true type of the " Shire-Horse," whose gigantic proportions and magnificent symmetry, are at once the surprise and admiration of all beholders. WALTER GILBEY A SHORT HISTORY, TRACING THE SHIRE HORSE TO THE OLD ENGLISH GREAT HORSE. THE WAR HORSE. WITH 14 ENGRAVINGS FROM COINS AND PICTURES The number of English books, which have •^•5°— "54 ah'eady been printed about horses, is so very large that it almost seems a superfluity to assume that another can possibly be required. Yet, in all the number of publications which are in existence, there is not one— from that early one of Wynkyn de Worde printed in 1500 a.d., down to the latest edition of the careful compila- tion of Mr. Sidney — which can really be said to do justice to one type of horse and that type of horse, a peculiarly English one. Recent in- vestigations appear to establish that what during the past few years has been spoken of '54 as the Shire-Horse is the closest representative of — the purest in descent from — the oldest form of horse in this island. A thousand years ago, this form was written of as " The Great-Horse:" and, nearly a thousand years before that, we have evidence which goes to prove that the same stamp of horse then existed in Britain ; and that it was admitted by those, who saw it here, to be something different from — and some- thing better of its kind, than — what any of the witnesses (of that day) had seen before : and they had seen most of the horses of those times. The intention of these few pages — compiled from various sources — is not to attempt an exhaustive history of this type. They will be an endeavour to suggest that there are good reasons for believing- that, in the English Great- Horse, modern Shire-Horses originated. It really seems to be true that the most powerful animal now existing in England, for the advance of Agriculture and Commerce — i.e., of the Arts of Peace — is the direct descendant of the horse which, when Julius Csesar arrived here, attracted his attention for its efficiency, in the assistance which it rendered to our fore-fathers, in the pursuits of War. (See note A.) Englishmen, by dint of careful attention to breeding, have achieved many triumphs ; but of these none, perhaps, are more conspicuous than those won by the establishing of the two types of horses — the race-horse and the heavy draught-horse — types differing as much as the greyhound and the mastiff Both breeds, how- ever, are in their own way almost perfect — the former in speed and the latter in strength — while it would be difficult to say that one is more beautiful than the other; as both in ^-i^- ' — "54 that respect must strike the observant with astonishment and admiration. Many volumes have been written upon the race-horse, and innumerable lives and fortunes have been spent in perfecting the breed. Although so much cannot be said of the draught-horse, yet we think we shall be able to show that no little attention has for generations been bestowed upon that breed also. The aim, of the following extracts, is to put within reach of the reader some interesting facts connected with the Great Horse ; as it existed before the period when this class of animal came into general use on our farms, and in our towns and cities, for drawing heavy loads of merchandise. It must not be forgotten that the use of the horse in Agriculture is com- paratively modern. In England, until the middle-ages, the work of the farm and almost all heavy cartage — was performed by oxen. Such horses, as were in the hands of ordinary occupiers of land, were called " stots and affers." They were not at all remarkable for speed, strength, or substance. The "strong" horses were bred and kept, in Great Britain entirely for aims which were neith2r agricultural nor com- mercial ; as the quotations, which will be here inserted, will sufficiently demonstrate. The facts which have been collected, are chiefly, as will be observed, the result of careful research among old records. It may be stated generally, that this type of horse, in a more or less perfect condition, can be traced back in England for very many centuries; and it is to be claimed that not only judicious introduction of foreign blood, A.D. I to 1 154 but wise provisions of the Home Legislature — through Acts of Parliament and proclamations — have combined, with private skill and spirit, to enforce and support its maintenance. Every narrative which is to keep attention must begin with something like a date : even though there be nothing more precise than the familiar " Once upon a time," with which the stories of the nursery, make their start. It is intended to take as the first witness to the character of the English Great Horse the figures upon two British coins of Cunobelin, which were struck in the first century. An engraving of these is to be found in the opening pages of the folio Edition of Camden's Britannia; and some of the comments upon the coins by Camden's colleague — whom he introduces to his readers as the great expert of the day, "Mr. Walker" — are to this effect. He asserts it to be a fact that special credit was given to white horses. Horses of this colour were chosen for use on solemn occasions ; and only men of the highest rank were allowed to appear in state upon a white horse. When Edward the Black Prince conducted to London his prisoner, John of France, he was anxious to make it appear that John was to be regarded as a royal guest. The chronicler remarks upon the entry of the two, " The prisoner was clad in royal robes, and was mounted on a white steed, distinguished by its beauty and size. Whilst the conqueror, in meaner attire, was carried by his side on a black palfrey." He states, too, that the large white horse is known to have been the ensign of Hengist and Horsa. The Venerable Bede says that, the EngHsh ^•°- "54- did not commonly use saddle horses until about A.D. 631. Prelates and other churchmen of rank were then permitted to ride on horse-back on their journeys. They were, however, counselled, in order to spare the horses for men in armour, to select mares for their own use. In the period between the reign of Henry II., 1 1 54, and that of Elizabeth, (commencing 1558,) it seems to have been a constant aim of the Legislature to increase in the kingdom the stock of horses of the type called The Great Horse. The universal custom, at that time, was for horse-soldiers to fiorht in armour ; and consequently the burden was so heavy, and the service so severe, that only the largest, stoutest horses were equal to the task of carrying men into battle. The weight of many of these " in harness " would reach, if it did not exceed, 4 cwts. The type of horse, which bore them, is spoken of, by the chroniclers, as Dexb^amis or Maonus Equus ; later on, the English terms "War-Horse" or "The Great Horse" are used, indifferently, as the equivalent of both these Latin terms. In the reign of Henry II., several foreign horses were imported ; but of what kind no mention is clearly made. In Maddox's " His- tory of the Exchequer," of that period, the following entry appears : " For the subsistence of the King's horses that were lately brought from beyond the sea." Importation, for special purpo-^es, had therefore already begun in 1 1 60. The earliest record, — in which we have found that mention is made of this type as " Cart- Horses" — is by William Stephanides, a monk A.n. II54— of Canterbury, born in London, who wrote ^ during the reign of Henry II., 1154. He says: — "Without one of the London City Gates is a certain Smoothfield (Smithfield). Every Friday there is a brave sight of gallant horses to be sold. Many come out of the city to buy or look on — to wit, earls, barons, knights and citizens. There are also to be found here Cart Horses, fit for the Dray or the Plough or the Chariot." The deposition of Henry II. and the trouble- some period extending through the Wars of the Roses checked very materially the breeding of "strong horses." They were seized, whenever found, by one or other of the contending parties ; and, to escape confiscation, many of the best during this period seem to have been sold beyond the seas ; where already the Eqmis Briiannicus enjoyed a reputation and were in demand. Sir John Hawkewood, in his travels, described how, in the States of North Italy, English horses were cherished and specially bred from. During the reign of King John — from 1 199 to 1216 — we have distinct particulars of the importation into England, from the low lands of Flanders, Holland, and the banks of the Elbe, of a hundred stallions of large stature ; and it is from the blending, nearly 700 years ago, of these animals with the English breed that some strains at least, of our heavy draught horses, must be said to date their origin. Still, no doubt, size and improvement — though always contended for by the Legislature — were but slow in developing. vSeveral Acts of Parlia- ment can be shown to have been passed — In ^■^- "54- the reigns of Edward III., Richard II., and Henry VII. — between the years 1327 and 1485, which were obviously intended to quicken the spread of size and substance In the breeding districts. In the reign of Henry VIII. — from 1509 to 1547 — especial attention was directed to the raising or breeding of strong horses ; and several laws were passed with that object. At that time, it was thought necessary — to secure the strength and size desired — to insist on sires and dams being of a certain size and mould. Mares and stallions were only allowed to breed under certain restrictions ; and so determined was the King to keep up the stock of Great- horses, that we find him enacting that all prelates and nobles, (" whose wives wore French hoods or velvet bonnets,") should keep stallions for the saddle of a certain standard of size. A further Act passed in the year 1535 (27 Henry VIIL), provides as follows: — "For that in many and most places of this Realm, commonly little Horses and Nags of small stature and value be suffered to depasture, and also to cover Mares and Felys of very small stature, by reason whereof the Breed of good and strong Horses of this Realm is now lately diminished, altered, and decayed, and further is like to decay If speedy Remedy be not sooner provided in that Behalf." "It is provided that all Owners or Fermers of parks and enclosed grounds of the extent of one mile in compass, shall keep two Mares, being not spayed, apt and able to bear foals oi' A..D. "54— the altitude or height of thirteen handfuls* at least, upon pain of 40/." " A penalty of 40/ is imposed on the Lords, Owners, and Fermers of all parks and grounds enclosed as is above rehearsed, who shall willingly suffer any of the said Mares to be covered or kept with any Stoned Horse under the stature of fourteen handfuls." Again an Act was passed in the year 1 541, (32 Henry VHI. c. 13), enacting, "That no person shall put in any forest, chase, moor, heath, common, or waste (where mares and fillies are used to be kept), any Stoned Horse above the age of two years, not being 15 hands high, within the shires and territories of Norfolk, Suffolk, Cambridge, Buckingham, Huntingdon, Essex, Kent, South Hampshire, North Wilt- shre, Oxford, Berkshire, Worcester, Gloucester, Somerset, South Wales, Bedford, Warwick, Northampton, Yorkshire, Cheshire, Stafford- shire, Lancashire, Salop, Leicester, Hereford, and Lincoln." "And furthermore be it enacted, that if in any of the said drifts, there shall be found, any mare, filly foal or gelding that then shall be thought not to be able nor like to grow to be able to bear foals of reasonable stature, or not able nor like to grow to be able to do profitable labours, by the dis- cretions of the drivers aforesaid or of the more number of them, then the same driver or drivers shall cause the same unprofitable beasts, and * It is a notable fact that the stature of the race-horse has increased an inch in every ti(}ent\-five years since 1 700; and the average size at that dale was 13 hands 2 inches, whild the average in 1870 wa'i 15 hands 2 inches. There is little doubt the same reinark applies to the size of all o:her breeds of horses except the -war-horse at the period above stated. every of them to be killed, and the bodies of^'^'/^^V them to be buried in the ground or otherwise bestowed, as no anoyance thereby shall come or grow to the people, there near inhabiting or thither resorting." By other Acts the exportation of horses be- yond the seas is strictly forbidden ; and this Act is extended to Scotland ; selling a horse m Englan I, to a Scotchman without a Royal per- mission, is declared to be felony in both buyer and seller. — 32 Henry VIII., cap. 6, entitled, An acte for the tryall of felonies upon conveiynge of horses into Scotland. in the reign of Elizabeth — from 1558 to \Co2 — saddle-horses and carts were only used for the conveyance of persons of distinction ; and it is well known that Queen Elizabeth rode behind her master of horse on her state charger, when she went in state to St. Paul's ; a practice which was only discontinued when Fitz-Alan, Earl of Arundel, introduced the use of coaches. It is, indeed, only at this latter period that the the more general use of gun-powder, and the novelty of using carriages, lessened the demand for the fashionable gigantic animals which had previously been employed in wars, tournaments, and in all the great State or Civic Processions. Kalph Hjlinshead in his chronicles (Ed. London, 1807, Vol. vi. p. 3.) h.is this entry, " King Henry VIII. erected a noble studderic for breeding horses, especially the greatest sorr, and for a time had verie ofood success with them. The officers, however, seemed weirie ; and pro- cured a mixed breed of baser races, whereby his good purpose came to little effect." He also irives the followini: descriiJiion of lO A.D. 1558— horses In England, temp. Queen Elizabeth : — " Our horsses, moreover, are high, and, although not commonlie of such huge greatnesse as in other places of the maine, yet, if you respect the easinesse of their pase, it is hard to saie where their like are to be had. Our cart or plough horses (for we use them indifferently), are com- monlie so strong that five or six of them (at most), will draw three thousand weight of the greatest tale with ease for a long journeie — although it be not a load of common usage — which consisted onlie of two thousand, or fiftie foot of timber, fortie bushels of white salt, or six and thirtie of bale, or five quarters of wheat — experience dailie teacheth, and [as] 1 have elsewhere remembered. Such as are kept for burden, will carie four hundred weight commonlie, without any hurt or hinderance.* This furthermore is to be noted, that our princes and nobilitie have their car- riage commonlie made by carts ; whereby it commeth to passe, that when the queenes majestie dooth remove from anie one place to another, there are vsuallie 400 carewares, which amount to the summe of 2,400 horses, appointed out of the countries adioining, whereby her cariage is conveied vnto th^e appointed place. Hereby, also, the ancient vse of somers and sumpter horsses is in a maner vtterlie relinquished ; which causes the traines of our princes in their pro- gresses to shew far lesse than those of the kings of other nations." — Chron. Book II., Chapter i. Edt. London, 1587. Fo. These weights may not seem to constitute much of a load for a team of cart horses ; but * Vide Note to Frontispiece. II we must remember that three hundred years ^•^- \l^l~ ago the roads were so bad and rutty that it would not be easier to draw an empty cart upon them, than a heavily laden waggon now. Thomas Blundeville, of Newton Flotman, in Norfolk, wrote a book — " Breeding of Horses and Art of Riding," which was published in 1566, in London, by " Willyam Seres, dwellying at the west-ende of Paules church, at the sygne of the Hedgehogge." This work is that of a practical writer ; and what he has to say in the quaint old black letter about the great horse and the cart horse over three hundred years ago will be read now with interest. One of his chapters begins as follows : — " Some men have a breed of Great-Horses, meete for the war and to serve in the field. Others tried Ambling horses of a meane stature for to journey and travel by the way. Some again have a race of swift runners to run for wagers or to gallop the bucke. But plane countrymen have a breed only for draftes or burden." Of the Great horse, he remarks — " and though ^•'^' "54— not finely, yet strongly made, he is of a great sta- ^ ture. The mares also be of a great stature ; strong, long, large, fayre and fruitful; and besides that, will endure great labour in their wagons, in which I have seene two or three mares to go lightly away with such a burthen as is almost uncredible." " But now to content the countryman his desire, which seeketh to breede horses for draught or burthen, where should I wysh him to provyde hymselfe of Mares and Stallions better than here in Englande." " I have knowne some carriars that go with A.D. 1602 1620 12 A.D. "54— carts, to be so exquisit in their choyse of horses, as onlesse been as commely to the eye as good in their worke they would not buye them; in somuch as I have seen somtyme drawini^ in their carts better |)roportioned horses than I have knowne to be fynely kept in stables, as jewels for the saddle. The horse that is meete for the cart, may serve also for the burthen, bycause he is strong and able to beare much." In the Herbert MS. — published as voK xx. of the Montgomeryshire collection — on page 148, appears a very curious estimate of the cost of horsing an expedition which was then being prepared to support the claims of the Prince Palatine, Son-in-Law of the reigning English Monarch (King James I.) to the Crown of l>ohemia. The estimate was laid before the Privy Council. January 13th, 1620. Ten thousand men were to be sent from England and the Duke of Aremberg (see plate vi.) was one of their leaders. It was calculated that the baggage of this Army would weigh 1,159 tons; and that A.D. 1154 - it would be necessary to provide eight cart- '^^ ' horses for each waggon, conveying a ton. It was estimated that, besides, 380 waggons would be needed, to carry the officers and the sick and wounded ; and that three horses were to be provided for each such waggon. It was sug- gested, in the proposal laid before the Council, that part, at least, of this requisition of 10,412 cart-horses would be taken up, where they, and drivers, could be hired 2X per day "in the Low Countries, or where they may beste be hadde. They, with the carters to drive and keep them," are estimated to cost 2s. each horse per diem; whilst to buy outright such horses "with harness '3 and furniture," was calculated to cost ^9 apiece. ^•°-j!'54 The Council, who framed this estimate, appended the following note — which has no little meaning as to the comparative merit of hnglish and Foreign heavy horses of the day. " We think it necessary that, besides 200, strong cart-horses, suck as cannot le hired, should be bought or continually kept for the use of the ordnance and munition." These strong or great horses were rated at ^15 each. And the lieutenants and deputy-lieutenants of all English counties were to be required to certify what proportion of horses fit for this service, " each sheire canne affourd, upon all occasions on enterprise." Coming to a later period — nearly two hundred and fifty years however from the present time — there is to be found a standard work by the Duke of Newcastle, published in 1658, entitled, " The Manner of Feeding, Dressing, and Train- ing of Horses for the Great Saddle, and fitting them for the Service of the Field in the Time of War," &c., containing elaborate copper-plates. Most of these illustrate but one style of horse, i.e., the Great Horse or War Horse, &c., with large limbs, heavy crest, silky haired fetlocks, and flowing mane and tail." "With respect to the Northern horses" using this term to dis- tinguish from Oriental and Spanish breeds this writer states, "I have seen some beautiful in their kind, genteel in all sorts of paces, and which have excelled all others in leaping. Moreover, they have a peculiar excellence in the motion of their fore-legs, which is the principal grace in the action of a horse." This the first occasion in which reference to high action appears in the records which have been collected. And it should 14 A.D. n54 |3g noticed that the reference is to horses of the strong or heavy breeds. In the reign of Queen Anne, from 1702 to I 713, the ponderous coach was maintained for all state occasions ; and the " Good Queen "' required the services of long-tailed Shire mares to make the equipage complete. It was only at a later period when roads improved, and carriages became less ponderous, that horses of light weight came into request for carriage use. It is from this period that crosses with blood- horses and the draught-mares came to be resorted to ; and from them arose the establish- ment of what was called " the modern blood barouche-horse. " A.D. 1620 When Arthur Young — in the latter part of 1800. ^Y^Q i^gj- century — was describing his tours through the counties of England and Scotland, he mentions only two varieties of Cart Horses as deserving attention — the Large Black old English Horse, "the produce principally of the Shire counties in the heart of England, and the sorrel-coloured Suffolk Punch, for which thesandy tract of country near Woodbridge is famous." At this date, 1796, in an article headed " Operations on British Horses " in the 9th vol. of the Sportin(^ Magazine it is stated, "We have a large and strong breed in the more fertile and luxuriant parts of the island ; and there is no country can bring a parallel to the strength and size of our horses destined for the draught, as there are instances of single horses that are able to draw the weight of three tons." Having regard to recent opinions as to the origin of the title " shtre," it is deserving atten- tion, that it is in the statutes of Henry VIII. 15 that the name "shire" is first mentioned ^-^^ '^20— (32, c. 13) in connection with horses ; and that the breed, from that time, has been known by this title. This distinction of Skire Horse has been so universally accepted, that it does not seem desirable to attempt to change it. Whether known by the name of the W A R H orse, the GREAT Horse, the OLD ENGLISH BLACK Horse or the SHIRE Horse, the breed, has for centuries, beyond a doubt, been distributed in numbers through the district between the H umber and the Cam ; occupying the rich fen-lands of Lincolnshireand Cambridge- shire, and extending westward, through the counties of Huntingdon, Northampton, Leices- ter, Nottingham, Derby, Warwick, and Stafford, on to the Severn. i\t the same time it should be said that it has been extensively bred, in the low-lying pasture lands of England, in Counties both northward and southward of these limits ; everywhere retaining its typical character, though varying slightly with the soil, the climate, and the food. No doubt these statutes, above referred to, helped to build up the Shire Horse ; and to estab- lish a breed which may now be accepted as national. For the counties enumerated suffi- ciently tell through what a wide area that breed existed six centuries agu, and since that date it has extended rather than diminished the area which it occupies. As the horses, of this caste, have been mated together for so many generations, their character has become permanent; and what must be termed a distinct breed has been produced. To continue, and improve upon, the existing good qualities of i6 A.D. i8o>- this breed, it is of the greatest importance that strict attention should be paid to the pedigree of the animals used for breeding from; for, though like ever produces like, the longer a type has been established the more certain it is to reproduce itself. To have any chance of improving a breed, it will be found necessary to be able to trace back in both sire and dam — to be mated together for this purpose— a clear connection with those horses, of an older day, which had the characteristics which are suitable to supply modern wants. The enormous bulk, the prodigious muscular strength, and the lamb-like docility of the true British draught-horse are especially impressive. The sight of fine teams such as may be seen in any of our large cities — and, during the last few years, on Whit Mondays, at the London Cart Horse Parade in Battersea Park — fills the mind with the notion that there is hardly anything, in the way of modifying size and form, which cannot be done, by careful and prolonged atten- tion to the science of breeding. Englishmen may indeed be proud to consider themselves as the producers of two of the best classes of horses that the world possesses, or has ever possessed. It is important, in order to maintain this ex- cellence, that the best types only should be bred from — viz., such as are truly framed, free from imperfections, and, above all, having no heredi- tary unsoundness. Such selected animals, if true in descent, when mated together, will be certain to hand down to their offspring their own qualities, and these are all that can be desired. Over badly-paved streets and bad roads weight has to be opposed to weight. On this 17 account for many years there has been a regular and extensive demand for massive horses which have also great muscular strength. Both qualities are necessary to enable them to drag heavy weights of merchandise, with fre- quent stoppages, in our cities and large towns ; and to shunt the trucks and turn the tables at railway stations. For these purposes size and weiQ;ht to be thrown into the collar are needed (|uite as much as high docility, aciivlty, and strong bones and sinews. It must be borne in mind that a compact, well-formed, cart-horse will move a given weight with far greater despatch, and less chance of injury to his powers, than one whose shoulders are defective, whose loins are bad, and whose legs are ill- formed. As to the activity and intelligence of horses of this breed, some curious remarks will be found at the end headed Note B. It cannot be said that those whose work calls for horses of the right stamp, are either niggardly in their terms or troublesome to deal with. Through- out the whole of the recent depression — when there has been a difficulty in finding customers at any price, even for the best classes of other live stock— there has always been a brisk demand, and hio^h rates current, for the class of heavy draught horse suitable for town work. Again, within the past few years, there have been new and important markets opened up for this type of horse by foreign buyers, w^ho have come from almost all parts of the world. Their object being both to perpetuate the race pure as well as to increase the bone and strength of native horses, these foreign buyers are invariably most exacting on the point of pedigree and soundness. A D. 1800— 1888. A.D, 1800— They know how essential these points are ; and they insist, therefore, when remunerative terms are offered, that the horses shall not only be registered, but shall possess the best and clearest form of record ; such, in fact, as will ensure that their fine personal qualities are hereditary, and to be relied on as transmissible. Some very important testimony to the value of the Shire Horse will be found in a report issued by the Canadian Government. It includes a portion of a letter from Mr. R. S. Reynolds, M.R.C.V.S., Veterinary Inspector to the Corporation of Liverpool, and a well-known judge and writer on Draught Horses. Mr. Reynolds, after writing fully on draught-horses generally, con- cludes his remarks as follows : — " My judgment is entirely in favour cf the Shire, as the one best calculated to procreate a breed — suited for the purposes of heavy draught — from smaller and lighter mares;" for the. reason that the size and bone of the average Shire horse are superior to those of any other description ; and further because there is presumptive evidence that the increased frame and bone of the other draught- breeds are due to the infusion of Shire horse blood. Mr. Reynold's also strongly asserts his belief that, the original type of every other draught-breed being of much lighter build than the existing race, the tendency of the progeny of all others — to revert to the original form — will not only be marked when bred among them- selves ; but that when crossed with mares of other blood ; which are deficient in bone, de- generation will be still more rapid. Happily we are not left without guidance in the endeavour to ascertain what the old character 19 was. Several old palntingfs and mezzotint ^..d. iSoo- engravings exist to show the type of this Shire Horse of centuries ago. Some of these have been deposited at the office of the Shire Horse Society. These carefully executed like- nesses are sufficient to show that, hundreds of years ago, the massiveness and character of the horses in the United Kingdom were much the same as at present. Indeed, of this fact these pictorial records must be considered to be evidence beyond dispute. From what has been said it will be seen that the Shire appeals to the intelligent owner, both at home and abroad, on these grounds — that from it animals are to be obtained which are most certain to reproduce, within its own limits, the highest standards as regards size, stamina, and strength; while, from its long line of descent — in many cases traceable, for at least a century-and-half, by the pedigrees given in the Shire Horse Stud Book — it is the breed which is most likely to confer these characteristics upon any other races to which it may be introduced. In taking into account the brief descriptions of the illustrations — which are included in this pamphlet — it may be worth while to point out that contemporary evidence, preserved for us by the arts of the painter and engraver, cannot be disputed like written history. What- ever can be gainsayed, there is no contradicting the testimony of " the faithful eye." The first volume of the Shire Horse Stud Book contains the pedigrees of 2,380 stal- lions, many of which were foaled in the last century. ihese valuable and reliable records were supplied by Members of the Society from 20 ^•^•^|°°— almost every county in England; and, in the preface the thanks of the Society are expressed to those Members and especially to Mr. I\. S. Reynolds, of Liverpool — for the long Hst of pedigrees which he had spent years of his life in compiling. A second volume was issued the year after the fir.-.t ; and subsequent volumes, containing the pedigrees of stallions and mares, have been published yearly. This year (1888) the Society published the ninth volume, which contained the entries of 1,180 Stallions and 1,376 Mares, bringing up the number to 6,595 Stallions and 7,017 Mares. A list of prizes won by animals is also introduced in this last volume in tabulated form ; so that an important appendage to a pedigree may appear in a more distinct manner than it has done heretofore. Illustrations will also be found, in each of the volumes, of the Champion StalHons and Mares which have appeared at the several London Shows of the preceding seasons. To any one interested in the question of horse-breeding and our horse supply, these volumes (which are sent gratis to Members) are alone worth the amount of the annual subscriptions (^1 is.) to the Society. In the Spring Shows and the various meetings for " bringing into touch " all lovers of a good horse — there are, besides, other advantages, the value of which, to breeders, can- not be assessed from a pecuniary point of view. Taking the nine volumes of the Shire Horse Society's Stud Books, they form a very respect- able addition to an agriculturist's or sportsman's library; containing, as they do, besides pedigrees and engravinc^s, the Reports of the Society's London Shows. Four essays — upon the breed- 21 ing and management of farm horses which also ^•^- 'g*^ are contained in these volumes — are more than interesting. They all are by writers who have the merits of not only knowing- the subject they are writing about, but also of being able to convey that knowledge to others in a clear and concise form. In bringing together the above few particulars regarding the history and merits of the Shire Horse, I feel that I ought not to conclude without drawing attention to the services which have been rendered to this breed by the " ."^hire Horse Society." This Society had its origin in a desire to improve and promote the old English breed of Cart- Horse, by distributing sound and healthy sires throughout the country. Public attention was first drawn to the subject in 1887, when Mr. Frederic Street read his Paper upon the Shire Horse, at the Farmer's Club. It is generally acknowledged that great benefits have been conferred on tenant farmers and breeders by its establishment ; and it may confidently be asserted that, during the late years of agricultural depression, many Jmndrcds of farmers have been enabled to pay rents through the ready sale of the produce of the Shire- Mares working on their farms. Quoting from one of the cleverly written re :!orts by Mr. Sanders Spencer (of the London Show 1887) he says : — " The price of a really good specimen of the Shire Horse is steadily on the rise, particularly for young animals suitable for breeding purposes ; and the foreign demand is rapidly extending and increasing. Germany is a noticeable instance of this ; the Shire Horse was scarcely known or appreciated in that 22 \rf TiiM— country some few years since, yet so great a success have the early importations proved, in improving the equine stock of that country that nearly three hundred foals alone were bought by Germans during last autumn." A still greater interest* was observable at the Ninth Annual London Show held this Spring, when the number (four hundred) exhibits exceeded all previous Shows. The business there transacted was in like proportion ; many animals changing hands, two and three times ^.u. 1880— at prices never before heard of; and the general ^^^^ quality of the horses exhibited there was a decided improvement. In Mr. Sanders Spencer's report of this Ninth Annual Show he again refers to the foreio-n demand by saying: — "This greatly increased interest in the Shire Horse is by no means confined to Great Britain ; but is rapidly spreading to all those countries which require heavy, active and docile horses to transport merchandise to the various parts of their cities." " The wonderful advance in favour of the Shire amongst our American cousins is almost pheno- menal ; whilst its grand success in the show yards is within measurable distance of the marvellous." A further proof of the foreign demand for the Shire Horses, is shown by the fact that the Sec- retary of the Society, Mr. J. Sloughgrove, issued last year (1887) upwards of six hundred certifi- cates of Stallions going principally to America. The Society at the present time includes 1,400 members. It has numbered among its Presidents, H.R.H. the Prince of Wales, the Earl of Ellesmere, Earl Spencer, K.G., the Hon. Edward Coke, the Earl of Powis, the 23 Luke of Westminster, K.C, Mr William Wells, ^■''- '^^^- of Holme Wood, Peterborough, Lord Egerton ofTatton, and Mr. Anthony liamond, of West- acre, Norfolk. I may candidly state that the year 1883, in which I had the honour of holding office as its President, will always be looked back upon by me as one of the pleasantest in a tolerably active life. Note A. THE HORSE AS A NATIONAL EMBLEM. The following passage from Csesar has often been quoted. It has, however, too direct a bearing, upon this endeavour to trace back the Shire-Horse to the War-Horse of prehistoric times — not to make a repetition desirable The translation is that made by Camden. It will be found p. 21, of his "Britannia." Fourth edition. Csesar is speaking of the peoples whom he found here, on landmg in Britain. '' Most of them use chariots in brittle. They first scour up and down on every side, throwing their darts ; creating disorder among the ranks by the terror of their ho ses and noise of their chariot wheels. When they have got among the troops of [their enemies'] horse, they leap out of the chariots and fight on foot. Mean time the charioteers retire tea little distance from the field, and place themselves in such a manner that if the others be overpowered by the number of the enemy, they may be secure to make good their retreat. Thus they act with the agility of cavahy ; and the steadiness of infantry in battle. They become so expert by constant practice that in declivities and precipices they can stop their horses at full speed ; and, on a sudden, check and turn them. They run along the pole, stand on the yoke, and then, as quickly, into their chariots again. They frequently retreat on purpose, and after they have drawn men from the main body, leap from their pole, and wage an unequal war on foot. It must be gathered from this evidence that the horses, used by the British, must have been of considerable sub- stance in order to take at full speed into the enemy's main body of troops, these chariots, each of which carried several able-bodied warriors. The horses, too, must have had weight to be capable of bearing up a chariot going rapidly down hill. This story shows that the original British horse was — what the coins represent them to have been — deep- chested, thick, and spirited. It also seems worth noticing that, whereas, of the few coins known to be British, a considerable proportion bear the effigy of a horse ; the Roman coins found in Britain — as represented in Camden's " Britannia" — do not contain one case in which a horse is impressed. Nor do the coins of Saxon origin. Our forefathers, then — are shown to have been what their descendants still are — eminently a horse- loving people. In a noble book — just issued by Mr. Wyon of " I'he Great Seals of England " as employed by the Kings of this country, from 1200 a.d. downwards — a very great many seals are shown to have borne the horse as an imi:)ression, and always a horse of the Great-Horse type. Three seals, used by Oliver Cromwell during his Pro- tectorate, all have a well-defined Great-Horse. In fact, until the time of the House of Hanover, the figure of a horse of this type is never long absent from any one of the series of Great Seals of England. Note B. CART HORSE RACES IN 1737. "Whether upon the road or on the farm, the common practice is for the horses to trot with empty carriages. Formerly this admirable custom was carried too far ; instead of trotting for despatch, races were run at full speed upon the road. The lead was the goal contended for. A fore- horse which would at a word or signal break out at full speed was, by the young men who took delight in the diversion of " roading," considered as invaluable. Many waggons and some necks having been broken by this dangerous amusement, it is at present a good deal laid aside, though not yet entirely left off. I have myself seen a race of this kind : A following team broke out upon a common, and, unmindful of the ruts, hollow ways, and roughnesses, contended for the lead, while the leading team as eagerly strove to keep it, both of them going at as full a gallop as horses in harness could go, for a considerable distance, the drivers standing upright in their respective waggons. The close of the race was the most dangerous part of it, for so soon as the fore-horse of the team which broke out found tha": he had gained the lead, he rushed eagerly into the road, which in that place happening to be hollow, it appeared to me miraculous that no mischief was done. Savage, however, as this custom may seem, the present spirit of activity may be in some measure indebted to it, and whenever it is wholly laid aside, 1 hope it will be from motives of prudence rather than from a want of spirit and inclination to continue it." — Extract from the Rural Economy of Norfolk, by Mr. Marshall, author of Minutes of Agiiculture, &c. Published by T. Cadcl, Strand, London. No. 1787. "To be run for on Finchley Common, in the county of Middlesex, on Tuesday the 4th of October next, a Set of Lating Bells and Whip, for five Horses, by Carthorses that constantly go in a Team, and to be rid by the Carter that did constantly drive the Team ; to ride bareback'd, with the Bit-Halter and his own Cart- Whip ; to run two miles at a Heat, the best of three Heats, and to pay three shillings entrance, and no less than five to start, and enter the day of running between the Hours of Eight and Two, at the place above-mentioned ; the first Horse to have the Bells, and the second the Whip."— The London Evening Post, from Saturday, September 24, to Tuesday, September 21, 1737. No. 1539. " On the Wash, near Newbury, in Berkshire, on Friday, the 22nd of September, 1739, will be run for, a set of Cart Harness with Bells, for five Horses (given by the Most Honourable the Marquess of Carnarvon), by any Horse, Mare, or Gelding that shall be 15 hands high at the least, and has been train'd to the Cart only, and in that way continued to be used. None but Carters to ride, and to ride with Bell Halters, long Cart Wl ips, in Straw Boots and Carter's Frocks, and without saddles ; and all the Riders to change their Horses, &c. (mares or geldings) before starting at the Starting-Post, and no Man to ride his own Horse (mare orgeldmg), ike, the Horse (mare or gelding) >S:c. that comes in last to win the Prize. And if any Dispute shall arise about the Change of Horses, starting, running, cribed Garter, and ensigned wiih a Crown. In the lower border of the caparison thistles and roses are placed alternately at a small distance apart, above a short fringe. The reins are very wide and much ornamented ; the part which is seen in front is escalloped, having four pendants, each pendant being made to represent a rose with a tassel hanging from it. The tail is in three distinct waves. In base is a greyhound collared and current to the left. The field is diapered with interlacing ovals, in which appear roses and thistles alternately. The legend begins with a rose, which is repeated between ih; v/ords and is also placed after the last worii. Between the first and last rose is a fleur-de-lis." Legend : — Cakolus . Dei . Gkatia . Magn.*; . Bkitanni.e . Fkanci.*; et HiueknijE . Rex FiuEi . Defensor, &c. SECOND COUNTERSE.AL Period of use 1627 to 1640 "The King on horseback, galloping to the left, in complete armour, the helmet open showing the features very ch.iracteristically rendered, holding in the right hand a sword which passes above the helmet, and the point of which touches the outer border ; the left hand holds the reins ; on the left is a small shield covering the elbow and the lower part of the bod) . Two very large feathers sweep backwards from the helmet and two smaller ones rise to the outer border above. The right hanJ, the sword, and part of the helmet, break across the inner border and divide the commencement from the end of the legend. The horse is entirely devoid of armour. The .•-addle cloth is very small, and .square. In base is a grey- hound collared and current to the left, and underneath the horse is a view of London from the South, showing the river Thames and London Bridge. Shipping on the river below London Bridge is seen between the hind legs of the horse. The hills to the North of London are represented as of mountainous height. The hind hoof breaks into the legend." Carolus . uEi . Gratia . .Anglic . Scotia . Franci^u . et . Hiberni^e . Re.x FiDEi . Defensor. "The style of the King, which in the First Seal of his r<;ign was 'Rex Magna Brittannia;' is now ' Rex .\nglia; Scotiae,' ^c' Seals reproduced and description extracted from " The Great Seals of England,' by permission of Mr. Allan Wyon Plate VII. The subject of this engraving is by no means so unconnected with the history of the English Great-Horse as at first sight might appear. In Smith's Catalogue of Painters, Vol. iii., p. 148, this picture is mentioned as one of the most successful of the equestrian portraits by Vandyke. It is still at Holkham — it is spoken of by Smith as a "magnificent picture." It seems to have been painted about 1620; i.e. at the very time when an English contingent was being fitted out to support the claims of the Elector Palatime (son-in-law of the English King), to the Crown of Bohemia, see pp. 11-12. Vandj-ke is believed to have visited England in 1620, and it is shown that he, at that period, not only accepted commissions from James I., but held from him a pension for services rendered ; and a safe conduct which enabled him to pass freely through those disturbed districts on the Continent, which were ruled by sovereigns who were friendly to the English King Of course, the value of the picture, tj this series, lies entirely in the evidence that it gives of the identity of the type of the War-Horse of that date, 1621, although it is of another colour — with that of Albert Durer's Great- White-Horse (see plate II.) of 1505. This similarity of character is shown not only in the horse which bears the general ; but it is still more strikingly displayed in the group of horses which fill in the back ground of the original picture. These horses are here (to make plainer this resemblance) engraved, below the principal figure on a somewhat larger scale. The Duke d'Aremberg is not, in this connection, of quite so much interest as his horse. Indeed, he had not, at the time of the painting acquired either his title or his reputation as a commander. But he was trusted by James I. with a share of the control of 10,000 English soldiers and " War-Horses ;" audit is more than possible that the charger, which carries him, was studied from an English moJel. Plate VIII. Of the painter of this picture no particulars can be given. But some few facts concerning the horse, which is the subject of it, are stated on frame. The picture bears date 1792 ; and is said to represent "Elephant," "supposed to be one of the most boney horses ever seen. " At four years old, he "is said to have stood 16.2 "; and that his girth was then 8 feet. The girth of the knee-joint is given as 16^ inches. The picture shows a horse of great muscular development as well a.s big bone, and indicates that the activity and spirit, which had characterised the War-Horse, had not, when the picture was taken, been in any way diminished by more peaceful pursuits. Plate IX. This engraving is from a picture by Mr. Woodward; and it represents a Norfolk Cart Horse "Dodman." This horse was the property of an ancestor of Anthony Hamond, Esq., and the painting has been preserved at his family seat, in the parish of Westacre, near Brandon. Dodman, was foaled more than a hundred ycL^rs ago (a.d. 1780) and must be admitted to have all the characteristics of the type which is called in the Fen country a "real sour 'un." He seems to have been used as a stallion in the district from which nearly a century afterwards Honest Tom (1105) (another of the Illustrations given) was obtained. It may interest some readers to learn how these Norfolk Cart Horses, so thick, so strong, so hardy, and so active, appeared in the eyes of a very competent judge of horse flesh about the time when the battle of Waterloo was fought. George Borrow thus sketches Tombland Fare, Norwich : a place where from time immemorial there has been, at Easter, a show of Stallions, "There was shouting and whooping; weighing and braying; there was galloping and trotting ; fellows with high-lows and white stockings^and with many a string dangling from the knees of their tight-breeches — were running desperately ; holding horses by the halter, and in some cases dragging them along. There were long-tailed steeds and dock-tailed steeds of every degree and breed. There were droves of wild ponies, and long rows of sober Cart Horses. There were donkeys and even mules; the last a rare thing to be seen in damp misty England; for the mule pines in mud and rain, and never thrives so well as when there is a hot sun above and a burning sand below. There were — oh, the gallant creatures! I hear their neigh upon the winds ; there were — goodliest sight ot all — certain enormous quadrupeds, only seen to perfection in our native isle ; led about by dapper grooms ; their manes ribbanded and their tails curiously clubbed and balled. Ha ! ha ! How distinctly do they say. Ha ! ha ! When Borrow wrote this he had seen pretty nearly all the draught horses n Europe : including all the grandfathers of all the Percherons. Plate X. Although this picture bears no date, it is not rash to assume that it must have been painted about the same time as the last (Mr. Hamond's " Dodman"). George Moreland, with an eye to see as accurate as Paul Potter's, — nnd a hand to depict what he saw which was almost as skilful — only lacked the industry to " fini-h " his work to have made his paintings equal to those of the famous Dutchman. But, for the value of his testimony — as to what the best specimen of the heavy draught horse was like in his time — finish is not requisite. The hasty sketch, by a real artist, gives character as distinctly as can the most laboured picture. G. Moreland was born 1763 ; worked in his father's house, mainly as a copyist, till about 1783 ; escaped from parental control when about 20 years old, and to use the words of his Biographer W. Collins (writing soon after his death in 1804) "infinitely preferred the stable, and the company of the ' gemmen ' of the currycomb, to his painting room and the conversa- tion of eminent artists." These preferences of his — whilst, perhaps, impairing the merit of his works as a painter heighten the worth of the evidence which he gives as to the style of the horses of his day. G. Moreland, between 1790 and 1795, to escape from his creditors, went into hiding in Leicestershire ; and it seems likely, from the stamp of horse which he has here painted, and the dress of the stableman, that this picture of which an engraving is inserted here — belonged to this Leicester period. The horse resembles, to no small degree the picture of some of Rakewell's. And the Dishley stud was, then, in the highest repute ; and was too, in the neighbourhood in which Moreland had taken refuge. It seems worth in- troducing this illustration here for purposes of comparison. The horse, represented, is not exactly of the same type as Dodman (the subject of the last plate) ; yet it is a characteristic likeness of a style which still exists ; and which is still, for some purposes, very highly esteemed. About 1790 is about the date, and Leicestershire is prob.ibly the locality of the painiing. Plate XI. Of this picture less is known than of any of the others given in the series. The frame of the print bears witness that the horses, when living, \v re called Pirate and Outlaw ; that their painter's name was J. C. Zutter ; and that the owner of the picture was Mr. Andrew McCullam ; and that it was engraved by J. F.gan. Where the painter met with the pair of strong, active, spirited horses is not so clear ; but they were English Shire breds, and the date of the picture is iCio. The curious parti-colour is by no means unusual in that section of the Shire-bred which has been cultivated in the Fen country. There is still manifested, to this d.iy, the tendency to breed animals showing something more than a bald face ; and white legs with markings of white upon the belly. It seemed worth while to include a representa- tion of this pattern in order to make the series of typical animals as complete as possible in what can only be considered as an expanded and illustrated article rather than as a history. All the selected specimens have throughout been taken as much as possible from animals engaged in the functions for which they were specially bred. The descendants of the horses, which, three centuries ago, carried in the field of battle on their backs the men-in-armour, are now devolins the self-same strength, lourace, activity, and it must needs be added docility, and capacity for discipline, to expediting the heaviest of our traffi-- through the most crowded stieets of our busiest centres of commerce. Real worth in horse flesh is never put out of demand by the changes of man's habits. When it ceases to be of service ni one respect it is sure to come into use for an ther. Plate XII. HONEST TOM, 1105. By Thumper 2123 (by Thumper 2119, bj- Major 1447, by Honest Tom 1073, by Honest Tom 1067, by England's Glory 705, by Honest Tom 1060, foaled 1800 by Milton's and Colley's brown horse) out of Beauty (winner of many prizes ; second at Wolverhampton Royal 1871, her son being first in Stallion ciass). She is by Emperor 688, by Matchless 1509, by Active 29, by Farmer's Profit 873 — foaled 1833. Honest Tom was bred by Mr. W. Welcher, Watton, Norfolk, who still has Beauty, a short-legged wide mare, about 15.3 hands high. She must be nearly 30 years old. Honest Tom was 17^ hands high, and was descended from a long line of good old Fen blood. He was a handsome tupped horsj, with a wonderful con- stitution; the greater part of his progeny much resembled him. He took First Prizes at the Royal si.x years in succe.ssion, viz., 1867— as a two year old at Bury St. Edmunds; 1868 — at Leicester; 1869 — Manchester; 1S70 — Oxford; 1871 — Wolver- hampton; 1872 — Cardiff; at numerous other shows won prizes of the value of ;^526 15s. After the Royal at Wolverhampton he was purchased by the Fylde Cart Horse Society, for ^^500, and he was exhibited by them at the Cardiff Royal. In the report of the show, in the Journal of the R.A.S.E. he is described as " having immense substance, with quality enough in his legs to suit a Suffolk breeder, and hair enough to suit a Midland Counties man." These two things are not incompatible, yet they are not frequently seen in the same animal. Honest Tom's fore-feet were not his strong point, and in his latter years his fore-legs were slightly arched. He was a grand specimen of a dray horse. He stood at Poulton-le-Fylde, at a fee of 5 guineas, and had a most successful career as a sire, very many of the best mares in England sent to him ; his sons and daughters were legion. Fifty-eight sons and eighty-one daughters were recorded in the Shire Horse Stud Books. For many years there was scarcely a show in the country without one or more of them being a winner. At the dispersion of the Fylde Stud, in 1879, Honest Tom was the attraction of the sale. After a sharp competition he was secured by Mr. T. H. Miller, of Singleton Park, at 500 guineas, i.e., at just the shillings more than he cost the Company, who had had seven years service out of him. His fee was soon raised to 10 guineas; yet his subscription was just as quickly filled up. So famous was his name that it became the fashion to name his sons after him. Perhaps his most sensational son was Lord Ellesmere's Admiral, 71 ; which won the Champion Prize at the London Shire Horse Show, and was then sold to Australia. Soon after his arrival, in the colony, Admiral was sold by auction for;^i,50o. One of the latest of Honest Tom's get, to attract general attention, was Mr. W. Gilbey's Manchester Tom 3851. This young horse (which strongly recalled his sire), ended a successful Show-yard career of three seasons, by winning H.C. and R.N., in a Class of 82 Three-year old Stallions at Islington, 1886. He soon after died. It should be mentioned that the fillies and mares, by Honest Tom, were even more successful in the Show-yard than were his sons. It would be impossible to name half of those which have appeared as winners or dams of winners, and as invidious to select a few ; but the very unusual merit of Honest Tom's daughters, both as breeders and prize takers, cannot be left unmentioned. Honest Tom died at the good old age of 20 years, and was buried in the garden at Singleton Park. wSm IBW Plate XIII. WHAT'S WANTED 2332 Brown Bay, foaled 1S72. Sire Bold Lincoln 231 by Matchless Junr. 1544, by Matchless 1509, by Active 29, by Farmer's Profit 873, foaled 1833. His dam Diamond by Oxford 1683, by Farmer's Glory 816, by Drayman 607, by Honest Tom 1060, foaled 1800, by Milton & Colley's Brown Horse. His grand-dam by King of the County 1226 (by King of the County 1225, by Magnum Bonum 1440, by Magnum Bonum 1439, by Phenomenon 1711, foaled 1812 by Fisher's Black Horse of Weston What's Wanted was bred by Mr. Ashmore, Darlton, Notts., who sold him to Mr. Forshaw, of Blyth, in whose hands he remained till he died, in iS32. Among the many prizes won by What's Wanted w^s the ;£ioo prize at Blackpool in 1878. He was FIRST at the Meeting of R.A.S.E. at Birmingham in 1879, in a very strong class, from whici time he obtained great notoriety. What's Wanted was related to Honest Tom 1105, on both his sire and dam's side. His dam's sire, Oxford 1683, was a celebrated prize-winner. Oxford was grandsire to the dam of Bold Lincoln ; there was, therefore, in-breeding to a good line of blood in What's Wanted. This, no doubt, made him the impressive sire that he was. Another noteworthy point is that every sire, in his pedigree, was either a Brown or a Bay. What's Wanted was a very bold, upstanding, horse of 17 hands high. He was a trifle light in his back-ribs and thighs, but had a good back and loins. He stood on the very best of legs, pasterns and feet ; had grand feather ; and he was a fine mover. These qualities were generally inherited by his progeny. What's Wanted travelled chiefly in the Fylde of Lancashire at a five guinea fee; and "nicked" wonderfully with Honest Tom's daughters. Fifty-two of the sons and forty daughters of What's Wanted are registered in the Shire Horse Stud Books. His death, at ten years old, was not only a great loss to the owner, but to the breed. Fortunately, however, he has left behind him some notable scions, which have proved themselves to be able to carry on his fame. Among these are Hon. E. Coke's Candidate 2405, Mr. Buncombe's Premier 2646, and Lord Ellesmere's Western King 4172. Premier has become as famous as his sire ; his stock being so success- ful in the Show Ring. The own sister of Premier— Mr. Shaw's Sunflower Vol. V — is a grand mare. So are two of the youngest daughters of What's Wanted — both prize winners, Col. Piatt's Gladys Vol. VIL and Mr. Sutton- Netthrope's Flower Giri. Vol. VI IL There are many others of equally high merit. Plate XIV. This picture is that of a gelding which was in use at Whitbread's Brewery in 1792 ; i.e., the picture was painted at about the same date as is believed to belong to that of G. Moreland's black horse. This picture, from Messrs. Whitbiead's, has served as an illustration in Garrard's series of engravings of British Farm Stock. It is the likeness of an excellent horse — "type perfect, flat bone, with good hocks, pasterns and feet." Apparently this is a fen-bred horse ; a chestnut with the white face and markings which we have, of late years, got to associate with the stock of the Rutlandshire Champions. In this, and the roan, and the black, i.e., Plate VIII. & X. — we have representations of the extremes within which limits this breed seems, for at least a century, to have ranged. All these varying types have been included as having all been worthy specimens of the gradation through which the ancesters of the Horse, now spoken of as the Shire, may be believed to have passed. Webster Family Lit,;ii:y oi vcitsnnary Wieagine Cummings School cf V^iennary MeciioineaA Tufts University 200 Westboro Road N»orth Griffon MA 01SS6