194 VARIETIES OF THE HORSE 



attractive than the Suffolk. The breed, moreover, comes as somewhat of a 

 novelty to many persons, for, in spite of the great claims possessed by the 

 Suffolk upon the suffrages of the agriculturist and the townsman, it is still 

 in East Anglia that his merits are most keenly appreciated, and, in fact, the 

 farmers in that part of the country prefer the Suffolk to any other breed 

 of heavv horse. It is, however, against the breed that the proportions of 

 a Suffolk do not equal those of a Clydesdale or a Shire horse, many persons 

 being thereby led away into a belief that the east country animals are 

 proportionately weaker than the others; whereas those who are best 

 acquainted with their merits entertain the opinion that, considering his 

 height — 16 hands 1 inch is the recognized limit of stature in connection 

 with this variety — the Suffolk is quite as powerful an animal as any 

 other breed of horse in existence. 



Probably, therefore, if he were better known, the Suffolk would con- 

 siderably increase the circle of his supporters; but, in the face of the 

 patronage that is now being extended to both Clydesdales and Shires, 

 the development of the east country horse will be for a time retarded. 

 Nevertheless, he is holding his ground well abroad, and orders keep 

 coming in from various foreign countries, whilst good prices continue 

 to be realized by fair-class animals from buyers who possess practical 

 experience of their merits. No doubt this horse has not the weight or 

 power to draw, through crowded streets, heavy lorries and other such cum- 

 bersome vehicles when loaded to their utmost— such duties lie far more 

 within the province of the Clydesdale and the Shire; but in front of a 

 plough, with a good man behind it, a pair of Suffolks can get through a 

 day's work that should amply satisfy the requirements of any reasonably- 

 minded agriculturist. Then, too, for the lighter class of goods traffic in 

 towns the Suffolk is a very suitable horse, for he is so much more active 

 than the Shire or Clydesdale, in addition to being faster than either, that 

 he can get through a day's work in a comparatively light wagon far better 

 than they. Consequently he possesses many friends amongst the managers 

 of railway and other parcel delivery companies, who include amongst the 

 goods they have to handle large quantities of articles, which though not 

 weighty enough to load in their heaviest vans, are still too bulky and 

 cumbersome for express deliveries. 



The precise origin of the Suffolk is, like that of most ancient 

 breeds, enshrouded in obscurity, but, at the same time, the antiquity 

 of this horse is absolutely beyond all question. So far back as the 

 year 1720, allusions to the breed in the fyswich Journal are so frequent 

 as to render it certain that it was firmly established at that remote period. 

 Indeed it is asserted by some that the Suffolks were cultivated as a 



