206 VARIETIES OF THE HORSE 



tuting trotting competitions simply had the effect of attracting English 

 trotters, though it may be added that some excellent performances are 

 attributed to Percherons located in the department whence they take 

 their name. Indeed the chief merit which is claimed for the breed is the 

 faculty for trotting fast in front of a comparatively heavy load, while the 

 constitution of a Percheron is described as being most robust, his temper 

 excellent, and his endurance and precocity both above the average. As 

 regards his endurance, however, opinions differ very decidedly, as many 

 who can speak with authority consider that the breed is soft. 



In height a Percheron ranges from 15 to 16 hands, and at the present 

 day he is more often to be found of the middle than of the light or heavy 

 type. His head is rather large, the forehead wide, the eyes rather full ; his 

 neck is short and massive, and is adorned by a very full mane; his withers 

 high; and his shoulders of fair length, and set back. He is deep in chest, 

 and somewhat round in barrel; his back being inclined to be long, whilst 

 his tail is set on high. His legs are short, but the tendons below the knee 

 are rather weak. The prevailing colour is gray, but the opinion has been 

 expressed that it would be desirable to attempt to change in this respect to 

 bay, but how this could be accomplished without a further and possibly 

 fatal encroachment upon the purity of the breed, such as it is, it is difficult 

 to see. 



It has already been stated that Percherons of the middle degree of 

 stature and development are the most common ; but it may be added that 

 the light-framed type is usually to be found in the Norman portion of the 

 district, such as Courtomer, Moulins la Manche, and Aigle ; whilst the chief 

 stronghold of the heavy type is in the neighbourhood of Forte Bernard, 

 Saint Corme, and Maniers. 



The Hanoverian Horse. — Probably most persons who know that 

 His Majesty's Creams which are attached to his carriage on great state 

 occasions are of Hanoverian blood, are quite unaware that there is, or at 

 all events was until recently, a breed of equally valuable white horses in 

 the royal stables of Herrenhausen. No doubt the national emblem of 

 Hanover — a white horse — was derived from this ancient breed, which was 

 utilized for drawing the king on state occasions, just as the creams, or 

 "Isabels" as they are styled in their own country, were pressed at the 

 same time into fulfilling a similar duty to the queen. Whence these two 

 breeds originally came, the writer was unable to ascertain when he paid a 

 visit to the Herrenhausen stables, as the memory of the oldest retainer 

 belonging to the establishment was a blank upon the subject; but there 

 are very good grounds for believing that the creams are descended from 

 an ancient Danish breed of that colour. Their antiquity, however, is 



