A Dog A Horse and A Heart

The Setter hunting dog has been known and used in England for at least four hundred years. The name ‘Setter’ is derived from the verb ‘to set’ which means to stiffen, position and point. The name is therefore indicative of the role of the Setter as a pointing dog, although it adopts a different posture from the Pointer. The Setter hunts with its head held high in order not to miss even the faintest scent of bird game. The most ancient Setter breed is the English Setter and it has evolved over many years from crosses between the Spanish Pointer and Springer Spaniel. It was first bred as a pet as well as a working dog by Sir Edward Laverack in the early nineteenth century. The English Setter is an excellent hunting dog, good on any ground, whether it be flat land or marsh, woods or bush. In appearance it is a attractive, elegant, well balanced dog and powerful without being heavy. Its coat is long, silky, fine and slightly wavy, short on the head with abundant feathering at the legs. The name ‘Marquess’ or ‘Marquis’ has the same meaning as Margrave, but this original significance has long been lost. It was in 1385 that Robert de Vere, ninth Earl of Oxford, was created Marquis of Dublin with precedence established between Dukes and Earls. This was resented by some other Earls and the Patent of the Marquisate was revoked on October 13th 1386 after its holder had been created Duke of Ireland. John Beaufort, Earl of Somerset objected to being created a Marquis in 1402 because of the strangeness of the term in England. On June 24th, 1443, however, his son Edmund Beaufort was raised to be Marquis of Dorset, after which the title retained its place in the Peerage.