SOME FOREIGN BREEDS 143 



which are the most characteristic type of that 

 country. 



Hungary has long enjoyed a well-deserved 

 reputation for its horses ; and it appears that the 

 old Hungarian horse was usually bay, although 

 grey, dun, and chestnut were also known. Early 

 in the nineteenth century this type was, however, 

 completely changed by the introduction of English 

 thoroughbreds. On the other hand, it is important 

 to mention that there is an indigenous Austrian 

 breed of horses, standing about 14 hands in height, 

 and in their angular make closely resembling 

 the ponies of the Russian peasantry. " It seems 

 certain," writes Professor Ridgeway,^ "that in 

 these animals we have the descendants of the 

 ancient ponies of the Danubian region, such as 

 those driven by the Sigynnae, and their resem- 

 blance to the country ponies of Russia confirms the 

 conclusion that we have in them the old European- 

 Asiatic horses more or less modified by crossing 

 with superior blood." 



Switzerland possesses several breeds of heavy 

 horses apparently derived from the mediaeval black 

 war-horses, among which the Laumont breed of 

 the Bernese Oberland forms an excellent draught- 

 horse, whereas the black Erlenbuch is of lighter 

 make. 



It would, however, be useless to devote more 



^ The Thoroughbred Horse, p. 345. 



