FOREIGN BREEDS 205 



bays, chestnuts, grays, and browns being all found amongst pure stock; 

 but blacks, roans, and skewbalds are tabooed. The Emir Ibu Rashid, 

 the owner of the Hail stud, according to Lady Anne Blunt, preferred 

 a bay or a chestnut, whilst many persons would rather possess a white 

 with black hoofs, but it is worthy of remark that of the hundred mares 

 at Hail forty were' grays or whites, thirty bays, twenty chestnuts, and 

 ten brown, which may fairly be taken to represent the usual proportion 

 of the colours. 



The Percheron. — The Percheron is the best known and most valuable 

 of the French breeds of horse, and is certainly of ancient extraction, 

 though it is doubtful whether, as some persons are inclined to believe, 

 the tap-roots of the variety were brought into France by the Crusaders 

 who returned from the Holy Wars centuries ago. It is probable, however, 

 that the Arab had a share in the production of the Percheron; and so 

 far back as the year 1760 it is suggested that the Eastern stallions were 

 utilized by Count Mallart for the service of mares belonging to the 

 Coesme stud, over which he presided. Subsequently, however, the 

 English Thoroughbred appeared upon the scene, and took the place of 

 the Easterns; but in 1820 two gray Arabs arrived in the district and 

 were largely bred from, and to these horses it is generally believed that 

 the modern Percheron is indebted for his gray colour. There is, how- 

 ever, reason for believing that the old blood has pretty well died out, 

 for the department where they originated is only a small place, and 

 as mares and other stock were disposed of, their places were supplied 

 by importations from Brittany and elsewhere, the result being that the 

 old strain became mixed. 



The fact, too, that the Percheron exists in three types, or perhaps 

 grades would be the better expression — heavy, middle, and light — goes 

 some way towards confusing the modern seeker after information as 

 to what the original stock was like. It is reasonable, however, to assume 

 that the original Percherons were of the class of animal that was adaptable 

 for stage-coach work, and that as these vehicles became ousted from the 

 service of the public by railways, the breeders of the district applied 

 themselves to the production of a heavier class of animal which could 

 be used for van and light agricultural work. In support of this contention 

 there is the fact that within the past fifty years heavy mares, and stallions 

 too, were brought into this district from Brittany, Picardy, and Caux, 

 and these, no doubt, were crossed with the remaining Percherons. With 

 the view of stopping the further contamination of the old blood, a local 

 Horse Association was established, but it does not appear to have effected 

 much good, as the attempt made to sustain the old light type by insti- 



