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45 THE HORSE. 
tions, and this is moulded in a form as elegant as is consistent with his 
enormous power. ven the diligence horses of many parts of France are 
of very handsome frames, and their legs and feet are so sound that they 
are able to trot over the paved roads at a pace which, slow as it is, would 
speedily lame our English horses of similar size and strength. Their 
tempers, also, are so good that the stallions may be used together with 
mares in all kinds of work, and though vice in its various forms is not 
altogether unknown, yet it is comparatively rare. Their countrywoman, 
Rosa Bonheur, has made this variety of horse familiar to most of my 
readers, and I need not, therefore, trouble myself to describe them 
minutely. The Limousin is chiefly used for the saddle, and is supposed 
to be descended from some one of the Eastern horses introduced by the 
Crusaders. He was not, however, in high request until the invention of 
gunpowder caused heavy cannon to go out of use, when a lighter horse 
was required, and the old heavy animal bred between the Flemish and 
Norman cart-horse went entirely out of fashion. The true Norman horse 
i3 large, powerful, sufficiently active, and very hardy. He has, however, 
the disadvantages of a heavy head and long cannon bones. The Valley of 
the Meuse is supplied with a small, active horse, generally of a roan 
colour, with strong limbs, clothed with an abundance of hair, and a large 
heavy head. The Lingone horse, in the valley of the Marne, is still 
smaller, with lop-ears, drooping quarters, and cat-hams, which latter 
qualities enable him to display the activity and surefootedness of the goat 
in scrambling over the rough mountain passes bounding the district. 
Lastly, the Barrois variety, in the valley of the Arne, is a mere pony, but 
makes up for his want of size by his agility, hardiness, and good temper. ° 
As in Austria and Prussia, so in France, the Government has done its 
utmost to encourage the breeding of horses for cavalry purposes, and 
numerous “haras” have been established throughout France. For a long 
time purchases have annually been made of first-rate English blood stock, 
chosen, like those selected by the Americans, chiefly for their stoutness 
and soundness of constitution. Still there are so many drawbacks in the 
shape of bad hay, hard training ground, &c. in the way of the breeder and 
trainer, that though their horses run us hard, we are still enabled to give 
them a lump of weight. Throughout nearly the whole of France there is 
no upland grass in the summer months, and neither meadow grass nor 
meadow hay is suited to the horse intended for fast work. We may, 
therefore, hope still to be able to maintain our supremacy in horses 
intended for the racecourse or the hunting field; but, as far as I can 
learn, the French cavalry are gradually obtaining a class of animal bred 
out of their lightest and stoutest Norman mares crossed with thorough- 
bred horses of pure English blood, some imported direct, and others bred 
with great care in France. The produce are of good size, very hardy, and 
possessed of excellent legs and feet, indeed in every way calculated for 
troop-horses, and should our cavalry ever come in contact with them, and 
a advantage is to be gained, it must be through superior horsemanship 
alone. 
THE FOLLOWING LIST oF SraLuions at the various haras in France 
during the year 1858 will show the extent to which English blood is 
used in that country. Many of them are bred in France, but a very large 
proportion, as will be evident, are of English descent, and as thorough- 
bred as any in our stud-book. The importance of carefully examining 
this list will be apparent to all those who know the value of this breed as 
® cross for low-bred mares. 
