The value of each part of the horse was strictly specified by these
laws; the worth of his foot was equal to his full value; each eye
was esteemed worth one third of his full value. For every blemish in
a horse one third of the total worth was to be returned, his ears
and tail included: a not obscure hint that cropping and docking were
practised in Wales at this period, and that opinions varied concerning
the desirability of the operations. That docking was in vogue is
certain, for a special clause makes the “tail of a filly for common
work” worth the total value of the animal. The peculiar value of the
tail of a “filly for common work” lay in the fact that the harrow was
often secured to the tail, as was the practice in parts of Ireland and
Scotland until near the end of the last century. In Wales, as in other
parts of Britain, the mare was preferably used for draught and pack
work, horses being reserved for military service. The mane and bridle
were worth the same amount, viz., four pence; the forelock and halter
were also coupled as worth one penny each.
Howel Dda’s “Law of Borrowing” was equally comprehensive. The man who
borrowed a horse and fretted the hair on his back was to pay four
pence; if he broke the skin to the flesh eight pence; and if skin and
flesh were broken to the bone sixteen pence. Borrowing without the
owner’s leave was expensive: the borrower had to pay four pence for
mounting, and four pence for each rhandir (supposed to be a league) he
rode the horse. He also had to pay a fine to the owner’s lord.
If a hired horse fell lame or was injured by accident the owner had
to furnish the hirer with one equally good until the injured horse
recovered.
The laws which regulated compensation for trespass show that it was
customary to fetter or clog the horses when they were turned out to
graze. Trespass in corn by a clogged horse was to be compensated by
payment of one penny by day and two pence by night. Trespass by a
horse free of restraint was recompensed by half those sums. In this
connection it must be noted that stallions were “privileged;” and
though a broken-in entire ran at large for three seasons (season from
mid April to mid May and the month of October), he did not lose the
privilege which relieved his owner from fine for any damage he might do
in the standing crops.
The Welsh pony is more numerous than any other breed. He wanders
over the hills and waste lands in all the twelve counties of the
Principality, and also on the borders of Shropshire, Herefordshire and
Monmouth; whereas his congeners are limited to areas insignificant by
comparison. The distribution is of course very unequal, the strength
and number of droves varying with the character of the country; there
are no statistics in existence nor has there been made any estimate of
their number.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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