158 A STUDY OF FARM ANfMALS 



the hairy legs is still made, and this breed, like the Clydes- 

 dale, is not at all common in America. These horses have 

 been brought to America in small numbers since about 

 1836, when one was brought to Canada. Perhaps more of 

 these horses are in Illinois and Iowa than in any of the other 

 states. In 1910 a Shire stallion named Dan Patch sold at 

 Chicago for $10,000. In England these horses have com- 

 manded very high prices, and in 1913 the stallion Childwick 

 Champion sold for $20,664. 



The Belgian horse comes from one of the smallest coun- 

 tries in Europe. Belgium has done much to improve the 

 draft horse, and the government has paid out large sums of 

 money to develop the breed. The people take much inter- 

 est in their horses, and their annual draft-horse shows in 

 Brussels are among the greatest exhibitions in Europe. 

 Draft horses have been bred in Belgium for a very long time. 

 Since 1850, however, the most marked improvement has 

 taken place. The Belgian is a very compact, wide, deep, 

 short-legged sort of draft horse. He has a small head, per- 

 haps, for his size; has a broad chest; very wide, short back; 

 a deep body; a rump which may be quite wide and muscular, 

 yet somewhat steep; very heavily muscled, short legs; and 

 medium-sized feet which have been criticised sometimes as 

 being too small for such a heavy horse. The legs, like those 

 of the Percheron, are free from hair. The Belgians show 

 considerable activity when in motion, and are powerful draft 

 animals for their weight, which ranges from 1,600 to 2,000 

 pounds, usually, according to sex. They stand about 16 

 hands high. In disposition these horses are very gentle and 

 can be easily handled. Their color is usually bay, brown, 

 chestnut, or roan. These horses were first brought to Amer- 

 ica in 1866. In recent years, a great many Belgians have 

 been imported, and the breed has grown much in favor, 

 being second in this regard, probably, to the Percheron. It 

 is getting quite a foothold in the middle-western states. 



