44 FOREIGN BREEDS OF HORSES. 



960,000,000 francs, or 40,000,000 pounds sterling, as the gross value of this 

 species of national property *. 



It must be supposed that so extensive a country as France possesses various 

 breeds of horses. Auvergne and Poitou produce good ponies and galloways; 

 but the best French horses are bred in Limousin and Normandy. From the 

 former district come excellent saddle-horses and hunters, and from the latter a 

 stronger species for the road, the cavalry service, and the carriage. 



M. Hoiiel has recently published an interesting work on the varieties of the 

 horse in France. 1 le states that in the time of the Romans there were but two 

 kinds of horses, the war-horse, and the sumpter or pack-horse. The carriage, 

 or draught-horse, was comparatively or quite unknown; and even men of the 

 highest station suffered themselves to be indolently drawn by oxen. Great care 

 was taken to preserve or to renew the strength and speed of the war-horse, and 

 African or Arab blood was diligently sought. An animal, the type of the 

 English Cleveland breed, the handsomest and strongest description of the coach- 

 horse, was thus procured. By degrees, this horse was found too valuable for a 

 hackney, and too high-trotting for a long journey, and a more smoothly-moving 

 animal was gradually introduced. Still the charger did not grow quite out of 

 fashion, and in Normandy the rearing of this animal became an object of much 

 attention to the farmer. At first they were bred too slow and ponderous, but by 

 degrees a horse was obtained of somewhat lighter action and considerable speed 

 without much sacrifice of strength, and they now constitute a most valuable 

 breed. " I have not elsewhere," says M. Hoiiel, " seen such horses at the 

 collar, under the diligence, or the post- carriage, or the farm- cart. They are 

 enduring and energetic beyond description. At the voice of the brutal driver, 

 or at the dreaded sound of his never-ceasing whip, they put forth all their 

 strength, and they keep their condition when other horses would die of neglect 

 and hard treatment." The little Norman cart-horse is perhaps the best for farm- 

 work. The Norman horses and the same observation applies to all the northern 

 provinces of France are very gentle and docile. A kicking or vicious one is 

 almost unknown there ; but they are, with few exceptions, treated with tyranny 

 and cruelty from first to last. The reign of terror may to a certain degree be 

 necessary where there are many perfect horses; but the principle of cruelty should 

 not extend, as it too often does, to the treatment of every kind of horse. 



Something must be attributed to both causes. There is more humanity 

 among the French than the English peasantry ; but, on the other hand, there 

 are horrible scenes of cruelty to the horse hourly taking place in the streets of 

 Paris, that would not be tolerated for a moment in the British metropolis. 



The breeding of horses has more decidedly become a branch of agricultural 

 attention and speculation than it used to be ; for it has been proved to the farmer 

 that, with the proper kind of pasture, and within a fair distance of a proper 

 market, instead of being one of the most uncertain and unprofitable modes of 

 using the land, it yields more than an average return. 



The establishment of races in almost every part of France has given a spirit 

 to the breeding and improvement of the horse which cannot fail of being exceed- 

 ingly beneficial throughout the whole of the French empire. In- fact, it may be 

 stated without exaggeration, that the rapid improvement which is taking place 

 is attributable principally to this cause. In order to effect the desired improve- 

 ment, the French, and with much judgment, have had recourse to the English 

 thorough-bred horse far more than to the native Arabian. A great many of the 

 best English stallions have been purchased for the French studs, and have been 

 beneficially employed in improving, and often creating, the hunter, the racer, 

 and almost all of the better class of horses used for purposes of luxury. 



* Journal des Haras, March 1837 



