their adherence to the Roman rule, and in everything, even to their names, had become Roman, became senators, gained a high rank, and in becoming rich became also effeminate, like the Romans themselves. Thus was extinguished the valorous Gallic nation; and, with its decadence, disappeared its love for the horse. During the Gallo-Roman period the cavalry became so scarce, that at the invasion of the barbarous hordes it can scarcely be traced.
That the barbarians who overthrew the Roman empire shod their horses we have no proof whatever; though it has been maintained by eminent authorities that they introduced this art. The Sarmatians appear not to have known the use of iron, for they had armour of horn plates sewn on cloth and overlapping each other; and their horses, so extremely hardy, but which were so numerous that every horseman had two or three to select from when the one he rode was fatigued (as with the Mongol Tartars, who do not shoe their horses), were also covered in the same manner.[1]
The confederacy of German tribes who conquered the Lombards, assumed the name of Franks (the Free), and finally obtained possession of Gaul, were not an equestrian people; their battles were chiefly, if not altogether, fought by infantry.[2] The Franks had no cavalry, and up to the time of Charles Mattel, no evidence of it is to be found in their armies. The nobles alone were mounted on horses, and with the descendants of Clovis the
