CARRIAGE-HORSES 113 



famous representative contained elements of the greatest 

 value for w^ork-horses of every description. In a letter, 

 which must carry great weight, Mr. Alfred AVithers, the 

 head of the world-renowned establishments in Oxford Street 

 and Edgware Eoad, has most kindly summed up the results 

 of his long experience of the working qualities of the 

 different classes of harness-horses, of which tens of thousands 

 have passed through his hands : — 



"There are two breeds of horses which, to my mind, 

 absolutely eclipse the Cleveland, Yorkshire Coach-horses and 

 hackneys, for carriage purposes. These are, firstly, the Irish 

 horses of the 14 to 15 stone hunter type, with too much 

 knee action in the trot to gallop fast enough for hunting ; 

 and, secondly, the American carriage-horses. 



" Of the first class, for years and years, up to the time 

 they gave up business, Messrs. East bought, and at the 

 present time Messrs. Wimbush buy, three-year-old horses 

 of this class in Ireland in large numbers ; and we ourselves 

 take every opportunity of buying such horses at any age we 

 can get them, over four years old. The great charm of 

 them, to my thinking, is that the natural courage of the 

 breed enables them to keep up their knee action, and general 

 stylish appearance when moving, so long after the time of 

 life when the other breeds mentioned have lost those quali- 

 ties. I believe their wearing qualities to be infinitely 

 superior to either of them. 



"With regard to the American carriage-horses, we have 

 been very large importers of this class, having had two 

 buyers in the States some years ago for a considerable 

 period, besides which we have taken every opportunity of 

 buying good American horses brought over to this country. 

 I unhesitatingly say, from my experience, they are the best 

 type of carriage-horse I have ever known, and I attribute 

 this result very much to their having been bred for genera- 

 tions for road work, to draw weight, and for speed. The 

 best American carriage-horses have a large dash of the best 

 trotting blood in their veins, and this it is that gives them 

 the courage and speed that is wanting in the Cleveland and 

 hackney, and makes them so valuable for harness. 



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