THE DRAFT BREEDS OF HORSES 11 



one, as the importations of horses of this breed have 

 been very extensive. The Percheron breed has made 

 rapid progress in popularity in this country. It is the 

 most numerous and the most generally popular of any 

 breed of draft horses in America. This is accounted 

 for chiefly by the degree to which the Percheron is adapted 

 for the work on most of our farms, as well as to produce 

 an active draft horse for the market. ' 



4. Description of Percherons. Nearly a century ago 

 the aim of the breeders of horses in La Perche was to 

 produce a medium-weight draft horse, suited in type and 

 action for pulling a " diligence " or omnibus. At an 

 early day, the demand existed in France for a horse that 

 could haul a load at as rapid a rate as possible. At this 

 time, the breed was represented by horses of upstanding 

 type, somewhat rangy but strongly built, with attractive 

 and unusual action for draft horses. They were then 

 gray in color, and these were the first to be brought to 

 America. While not so drafty in type as the modern 

 Percheron, they were horses of superb style, full of vigor, 

 and they had powerful action which enabled them to 

 pull strongly and move quickly at the same time. In 

 themselves, the gray Percherons of early days were 

 unusual draft horses, and it was the degree to which they 

 combined activity with pulling power that made the 

 Percheron a very popular horse for farm work. But the 

 demand in America became more insistent for a heavier, 

 blockier, shorter-legged type, that would grade the prod- 

 uce of our lighter mares to a draft weight quicker. 

 This demand resulted in the modern black Percheron 

 of somewhat stouter build, deeper body, more weight, and 

 as much quality as the prototype; but there was some 

 sacrifice of style, standing or going, with somewhat less 



