Classes and Breeds of British Horses. 196 



superior action. They tend to the lighter colours of brown 

 or bay, have good feet, and are sure-footed. But the pro- 

 gress of cultivation has caused a class of larger horses, suited 

 for draught, to be reared in all the less elevated districts ; 

 which, though useful, hardy, and true to their work, are far 

 inferior in symmetry to the race of the mountains. 



In the forest of Dartmore is reared a race of ponies, of 

 coarse inelegant figures, but hardy, sure footed, and capable 

 of undergoing extreme drudgery ; and in the high lands of 

 Exmoor is a similar race, but of somewhat smaller size. 

 These little horses are thickly covered with long hair, and 

 until caught for use are left nearly wild. They are resolute 

 and cunning, ascending the rocky eminences when pursued, 

 leaping from blocks of rock, or even jumping over their pur- 

 suers when hemmed in. The New Forest of Hampshire, 

 which William the Conquerer converted into a hunting 

 ground, by driving away the wretched inhabitants, and burn- 

 ing all the towns, villages, and churches within a compass of 

 many miles, long produced a race of ponies, of which the re- 

 mains yet exist. They are ugly, large-headed, and short- 

 necked, but hardy, sure-footed, and capable of bearing care- 

 less usage. 



In like manner, over all the ancient wastes and forests of 

 England, formerly covering the larger part of the surface of 

 the country, were reared varieties of horses, the size and 

 strength of which bore a relation to the quality and abun- 

 dance of the natural herbage. Sometimes they were of the 

 pony size, falling short of twelve hands high ; sometimes they 

 reached fourteen hands, and in rarer cases fifteen. They 

 were of coarse form, with short hairy limbs, and were capable 

 of much drudgery, 'but were destitute of elegance, and un- 

 suited for speed. From this class were derived the older 

 Pack-horses, which were used throughout thfe country before 

 roads were formed, and which, until late in the last century, 

 were the most numerous class of horses employed for draught 

 or riding. They were good drudges, hardy and sure-footed, 

 but wanted action and lightness for the saddle ; while, for the 

 purposes of labour, they were inferior to the larger horses 

 now employed. Numbers of this very ordinary kind of horses 

 are yet to be seen in Cornwall and other hilly parts of Eng- 



