FRENCH HORSES. 



439 



riiandy : one, the plain of Caen, comprising the grassy meadows ot 

 Calvados and La Manche ; the other is situated in that part of the 

 Department of Orne which bears the name of Merlerault. 



The French horses, however, are generally of a very miscellaneous 

 character. In addition to the Percheron which we speak of under the 

 head of the " cart-horse," there are the Boulonais and Flemish breeds, 

 both of which are in repute as draught-horses. The most remarkable is 

 the horse of the district named tiie Camargue. In England he would be 

 denominated a pony, for he is small, his heiglit measuring from thirteen to 

 thirteen hands and a half; it is but seldom that he is tall enough to reach 

 the limit for a light cavalry charger. His coat is always of a grayish- 

 white. Although the head is large, and sometimes " Roman-nosed," it is 

 generally squarely made, and well set on; the ears are short and widely 

 separated, the eyes are lively and well opened, the crest is straight and 

 slender, but sometimes ewe-necked ; the shoulder is short and upright, 

 but yet the withers are of a sufficient height ; the back is prominent, the 

 rems wide, but long, and badly set on ; the croup is short and drooping, 

 the haunches are poor, the hocks narrow and close, but yet strong ; the 

 foot is very sure and naturally good, but wide, and sometimes even flat. 

 The Camargue horse is active, abstemious, mettlesome, high-spirited, and 

 capable of enduring both bad weather and fasting. For centuries he has 

 maintained the same type, notwithstanding the state of distress to which 

 he is sometimes reduced by carelessness and neglect. 



These small horses are kept in the marshes and wild meadows which 

 stretch away from Aries to the sea. Thc}^ live in perfect freedom, in 

 small droves, together with semi-wild oxen. In harvest time these horses 

 are used for threshing out the grain ; they ai"e led in upon the thresh- 

 ing-floors, and are made to stamp upon the sheaves to beat out the 

 corn from the ears. Their hard, but elastic hoof forms an excellent flail. 

 When they have done their allowance of work they are permitted to 

 return to their independent existence, to roam and feed over the wide 

 expanse of uncultivated districts which surround their homes. 



The breed of Camargue horses is, as a rule, but little valued, even in 

 the south of France. The best of them are, however, occasionally sent 

 into the market. It is stated that these ho-'ses are the descendants of 

 some of those left by the Moors in one or the other of the frequent 

 descents and incursions made by them on the south coast of France 

 during the early years of history. 



