272 MANUAL OF MODERN FARRIERY 



are frequently met with accompanying this colour, and 

 which are generally disposed to contraction. 



Snow-white horses are now seldom to be met 

 with, although at one time they were very common ; 

 I mean, those which are white in their earliest years ; 

 as light grey animals soon become white, especially 

 those which have dark-coloured joints. 



The silver-grey is now not common, but they are 

 in general high-bred, and of undoubted descent from 

 the Arabian or Barb. Their height seldom exceeds 

 fourteen and a half hands (which is the ordinary 

 size of their progenitors), with a well-rounded body, 

 firmly knit, light legs, oblique pasterns, and high 

 shoulders. They are active and fleet, fitted for hard 

 work, and possessing excellent health. Their action 

 and appearance peculiarly fit them for the use of the 

 ladies. 



The iron-grey is a larger horse than the above, 

 generally higher in the withers, with a thinner body, 

 flatter chest, and more angular in all his proportions, 

 with his legs often too long. They are showy horses, 

 and well adapted for a carriage. In some instances 

 they make good hunters, and are useful as roadsters, 

 being capable of greater endurance than would be 

 expected from the flatness of their chests. They are, 

 however, found often to have a tendency to con- 

 traction of the feet, and hence lameness. 



The dappled grey is usually a well-formed and 

 active horse, and divested of all the angular points 

 which characterise the iron-grey. They look remark- 

 ably well in harness, and are showy as hackneys. 

 When these horses are high-bred, which is mostly 

 the case, they are not only handsome, but also active: 

 If they are dark-coloured when young, they seldom 

 or never become white, but retain their dappling and 



