FRENCH HORSES. 



501 



age of two years. Formerly, he was the great horse in 

 French diHgences and mail carts, and was employed to a 

 large extent in London omnibuses. This strong and hardy 

 breed has almost entirely died out, owing to the increasing 

 demand for heavy horses, and has been largely replaced by 

 the big Percheron (Gros percheron), which is usually from 

 16 hands to 16.2 high, and is essentially a heavy draught 



Photo by] [J. Delton, Paris. 



Fig. 506. — Percheron mare, Martha (16.2) ; winner of many prizes. 



horse (Fig. 506). Although he is not quite as weighty as 

 the Boulonnais, with whom he has been largely crossed ; he 

 is much more active. This cross-bred Percheron is popular 

 in America, where the American Percheron Stud Book was 

 formed in 1876. 



Breton Horses. — The conditions of climate, soil and 

 water have made in Bretagne, as elsewhere, a fairly sharp 

 line of distinction between its breeds of horses. Thus, on 

 the fertile pastures near the sea-side of that country, we 



