THE HEAVY-HARNESS BREEDS OF HORSES 61 



and bold knee action, with regular, uplifting, hock action. 

 They have intelligent heads, graceful necks, snugly ribbed 

 bodies and muscular quarters. If any part of the con- 

 formation might be chosen as fit for general criticism, it 

 would be the legs, although these, in most instances, are 

 well set and have every evidence of quality. There is an 

 airiness and graceful- 

 ness about a well set- 

 up French Coacher 

 that is hard to find in 

 any other coach breed. 

 It is due chiefly to 

 their unusual length 

 and gracefulness of 

 neck, in conjunction 

 with a spirit of alert- 

 ness in movement or 

 statuesqueness in 

 standing which, be- 

 sides being due to bodily conformation, is also traceable 

 to the excellent training they receive to show their qual- 

 ities to the best advantage. The common colors are bay, 

 brown or black. Considering the mixed breeding fol- 

 lowed in evolving the French Coach, it is exceptionally 

 uniform in type, a result due likely to the uniformity in 

 the standards of the men who as directors have control 

 of the government breeding operations. The greatest 

 success in producing the most handsome and stylish 

 carriage or coach horses has been attained by using 

 mares approaching as nearly as possible the type desired, 

 with as much quality and action as possible. 



60. The trotting type. The production of the trotting 

 type for many purposes has been encouraged since 1836, 



FIG. 10. French Coach mare. 



