HOI;SK 



able. In 1806 a horae, at Harlem, N. Y., trotted a 

 mile in -J inin. 50 <., and in 1HIII, in Philadelphia, 

 the distance was made in _' inin. 4SJ HOC. In 1844 

 the time had been reduced below 2J niin. By 1859 

 it had been brought down to 2 inin. 19j sec. This 

 record In-Ill fur eight years, but by 1 S '.H tin-re were 

 in.inv horses that could equal it, and the bet record 

 had been reduced to -J niin. 8:} sec. The best pacing 

 record in 1S.1 was a inilo in "2 inin. sec. 



The /unit, r is soinetimes, but not often a thorough- 

 bred. If i hi- In- the case, he is generally a horse 

 that has fail -<1 to stand the test of the short rapid 

 races, and is thereafter trained for a hunter. He 

 dillers from the racer mainly in carrying-power 

 and endurance. A deep girth, with brood hips, 

 a back not over long, and strong legs are his most 

 essential characters. Jumping is a most necessary 

 accomplishment. A five-barred gate is the ordinary 

 limit of a leap ; but a few horses, have been known 

 to clear heights between 6 and 7 feet. Yet only a 

 few will jump 10 or 12 feet of water in the hunting- 

 field, although horses have been known to leap a 

 distance of 36 feet. 



The charger ought, to be 15 - 3 hands high. He 

 should l>e a good weight-carrier, and the paces 

 should be easy, owing to the regulation length of 

 the military stirrups. Furthermore, as the soldier 

 has to devote his right hand to the management 

 of his weapon, only the left can be used for guid- 

 ing his steed, which has thus to le accustomed to 

 take its instructions from the pressure of the leg 

 or indications given by the heel. 



Harness-horses are of all degrees of value, and 

 of varieties of race and breed, From the tall high- 

 stepping bays, 16 or even 17 hands in height, which 

 draw the four-in-hands of the wealthy, to the 

 'ittle pony which drags a basket phaeton. A really 

 well-matched pair of carriage-horses of good action 

 will fetch a very high price. For horses drawing 

 light vehicles, lo'l hands is an average height ; those 

 preferred for coaching are taller, and the wheelers 

 are commonly an inch higher than the leaders. 



Cart-horses, like other harness-horses, are of all 

 kinds. The enormously heavy animals which have 

 been developed as the result of crossing the native 

 blood with Flemish are now to be seen almost 

 exclusively in the drays of brewers; for the 

 most part they are bred in Lincolnshire, and are 

 expensive to rear, and hence to purchase. The 

 old Cleveland breed and the Suffolk Punch are 

 said to lie now extinct, and the Clydesdale is 

 perhaps the favourite breed for this purpose at the 

 present time. 



A pony is defined as being a horse under 13 

 hands high ; the Exmoor ponies are a valuable 

 breed, with well-shaped head, good quarters, and 

 powerful hocks. For small dimensions the palm 

 is, however, carried off by the Shetland breed, the 

 height of which is often as little as 10 hands, and 

 not unfrequently less even than this. 



In the manner of stable management it is of 

 first-class importance that the stable itself should 

 be in a healthy locality, and free from even the 

 suspicion of bad smell or foul air, to both of which 

 horses are particularly sensitive. The stalls should 

 be roomy, and the slope of the floor no more than 

 is needful to allow the drainage to nm off; indeed 

 an arched fl<x>r is to be preferred to a smooth slope. 

 The stalls should l>e adequately lighted, but the eyes 

 should not be strained by the 'use of too light paint 

 or whitewash on the walls. Good ventilation is 

 imperative, and should be achieved without ex- 

 posing the animal to cold draughts. About 55 F. 

 is the mean temperature to l>e aimed at, but it is 

 very often impossible to keep it down nearly so 

 low as this; in winter it is easy to keep it uj>, or 

 even if this fail, the difference can be made up by 

 clothing. In all matters pertaining to the treat- 



ment of a borne, regularity and moderation are 

 the great secrete of Huccem. 



The food varies mm h with the nature of the 

 work the home it* called U]M>II to |>erfonn, and the 

 means of IMS owner. A cavalry charger is allowed 

 10 Hi. oat* and 12 Ib. hay per diem ; an omnibu* 

 hoi-.- 17 Ib. of mixed oatn and inai/e, tin? propor- 

 tions varying according to the relative price*, of 

 the two grains, and 10 Ib. hay. A hunter is 

 very commonly allowed 12 Ib. oat*, 2 Ib. beau*, and 

 6-8 Ib. bay. 



A certain moderate amount of exercise every 

 day is necessary ; nothing is worse than excessive 

 fatigue one day and entire rest another. Two hours 

 walking will an a rule suffice, but the needs and 

 capabilities of different animals must be studied by 

 those who have the care of them ; in all cases it 

 should l>e enough to prevent undue fidgetiness 

 when the animal is used oy his master. 



HORSE-BREAKING, a process through which all 

 young horses have to go before they are fit for 

 work. The racehorse is generally broken when 

 about eighteen months old, but carriage and 

 draught horses are not broken until four-year-olds, 

 though many farmers break their horses for light 

 work at an earlier age. The process differs con- 

 siderably in various countries, out that in use in 

 England, though the slowest, is the most thorough, 

 and the only one fitted to break a really valuable 

 horse without risk. The chief requisites 'for a good 

 horse-breaker are gentleness and unlimited patience, 

 as a hasty action may undo days of work. Before 

 the commencement of the training, the horse is 

 accustomed to be touched by a man, and to the 

 feel of a halter. After he is familiar with his 

 breaker, who should on no account be changed, he 

 is taken out with leading rein and halter until 

 used to being led. The breaker may then com- 

 mence to ' mouth ' his charge i.e. teach him to 

 answer the pressure of the bit. This is generally 

 done by placing a bit in the horse's mouth every 

 day while in the stable, until he is used to the 

 metal ; he is then driven with long reins attached 

 to his bit, by the breaker, who walks behind and 

 tums his pupil in various directions until he 

 answers the rein readily. After the mouthing has 

 been thoroughly done, the horse may be mounted 

 or harnessed and gradually accustomed to his 

 proper work. As the majority of horses do not 

 repay so much trouble, they liave to be broken 

 more quickly, but in the case of a high-bred animal 

 at the risk of his courage or his temper. 



In 1858-60 great attention was called to the 

 system of an American called J. S. Karey, who 

 broke horses thoroughly in an hour. The essence 

 of Ka rev's method (a method published many years 

 previously, but first introduced to the public by 

 Karey) was the 'casting' or throwing down of the 

 horse, and frightening him so thoroughly that he 

 gave no further resistance. Twenty years later 

 much discussion was raised over an Australian 

 system, said to differ entirely from Karey 's, but 

 which only differed in the fact that the horse's 

 head was tied to his tail until he fell, instead of 

 violently casting him. Both of these syet< 

 while o'f great utility in the case of a vicious 

 horse, or where horses are plentiful and of little 

 value, are much too severe to le undergone by 

 a high-couraged but nervous colt, who only requires 

 patience and gentleness to master him. 



From 1784 a tax was imposed UJKUI horses and 

 horsedealers ; in 1869 this was fixed at 10s. 6d. on 

 each horse or mule, and 12, 10s. was charged for 

 a dealer's license; the tax was removed in 1874. 



In the year 1888 no less than 11,505 horses were 

 imported into the United Kingdom from various 

 parts of the world, chiefly from Germany (6667) 

 and Denmark (2234), the average value of the 



