THE HORSE 217 



jectionable. Shire horses are good-natured and are very 

 popular with those who handle them. They are usually 

 black, bay, and brown, with white on the face and on the legs 

 below the knee and hock. 



4. The Belgian. — In ancient times Belgium was the great- 

 est horse-breeding country in the world. In recent times it 

 has again begun to attract attention. The Belgian breed is 

 not well known in the United States, being confined mainly 

 to Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. The Belgian is a very com- 

 pact, blocky horse, with broad breast and back, short legs, 

 rather small feet, and somewhat slow in action. The legs 

 have very little hair on them. In color the breed is sorrel, 

 bay, and roan. Those coming from that part of Belgium 

 known as Flanders are the largest and heaviest of draft- 

 horses. 



5. The Sujfolk. — This is often known as Suffolk Punch, a 

 name given it because of the round, full body which is charac- 

 teristic of the breed. The Suff<)lk breed has been bred pure in 

 Suffolk County, England, at least as far back as 1768. The 

 breed is not so large and heavy as the Clydesdale and Shire, 

 but combines great strength with rapid action and is a favorite 

 farm horse in England. The established color is chestnut, 

 never anything else. There are as yet few Suffolk horses in 

 the United States. 



The Harness Type. — This type may be divided into two 

 classes: the heavy-harness class and the light-harness class. 

 The heavy-harness class combines weight, strength, and rapid 

 action. Horses of this class are fitted for carriage and coach 

 purposes, as well as being useful for general farm work and 

 light hauling. Ordinarily, they are about sixteen hands high 

 and weigh from 1,100 to 1,350 pounds. 



