The Old English Road-Horse

Miniature wood engraving by the famous artist and engraver, Thomas Bewick (1753-1828) of English road horse.

Bewick’s description;  Is a strong, vigorous, and active kind, capable of enduring great hardship ; its stature rather low, seldom exceeding fifteen hands ; the body round and compact, its limbs strong, and its head thick. Although this breed has of late years been neglected, and almost totally superseded by Horses of another kind, more nearly related to the Race-horse, where the fashion of figure seems to have been preferred to utility, we cannot help congratulating our associated countrymen [agricultural societies] on their spirited exertions towards public improvement, in which nothing of excellency in the various kinds of domestic animals is suffered to escape their vigilance, and this kind is again likely to be brought into notice. A mare of this breed, in the possession of Arthur Mow­bray, Esq. of Sherburn, appears to us to possess all the valuable properties attributed to the old Road-Horse.

References: Ferguson,  439a

From Bewick, A History of Quadrupeds.

Collections:
National Library Australia: Bib ID 1778546
State Library New South Wales: Reference code (AuSN)b21690418-61slnsw_inst
State Library Victoria: RARES 599 B39