FOREIGN BREEDS 207 



unquestionable, and what is more, both varieties breed perfectly true to 

 colour; and a most remarkable peculiarity of the white horses — "white- 

 boned horses" as they are known in Hanover — is that the foals are all 

 thrown absolutely white, a fact which was proved by the existence of one 

 only a few hours old in one of the boxes at the time of the writer's visit 

 to Herrenhausen. 



Irrespective of their unusual colour, their antiquity, and the fact that 

 until Hanover ceased to exist as an independent state, the whites and the 

 creams were respectively the horses of the king and queen, there is nothing 

 extremely remarkable about them. They were all tall, powerful animals, 

 rather inclined to coarseness, and not particularly good about the shoulders, 

 but no doubt serviceable if put to work, which, however, they very rarely 

 were. Their tails, which were squared, extended down to their heels, and 

 their manes were correspondingly long. They are stated to be an ex- 

 tremely long-lived breed, and as the founders of the sovereign of England's 

 stud of state horses, will always be regarded with feelings of deep interest 

 if not of veneration by his loyal subjects. 



The Morgan Horse. — This is an American production in the shape of 

 a harness horse, the precise origin of which is obscure, though, according to 

 all accounts, it is descended back to a stallion named Justin Morgan, which 

 w T as the property of a resident in Randolph, Vermont, whose name he bore. 

 This horse appears to have been foaled somewhere about the end of the 

 eighteenth century, but the date of his being dropped and his pedigree 

 are alike matters of pure conjecture in spite of the many attempts which 

 have been made to ascertain the facts concerning him. Perhaps the 

 consensus of opinion tends to show that Justin Morgan originally came 

 from Canada; but this theory is opposed by many persons on the 

 grounds that the Canadians are not so easy in their action, though, on 

 the other hand, they possess more durable feet. 



The Morgan horse is claimed to be the possessor of stamina above 

 the average, and is therefore described as being " entitled to the appel- 

 lation of a fast traveller", as a good one can cover a great number of 

 miles a day and keep up a good pace. As a useful harness horse, with 

 moderate weight, the Morgans were highly popular some forty or fifty 

 years ago in their native State, where they possess many admirers even 

 now. They are not a big breed, the usual height being from 14 to 15 

 hands, the prevailing colour being bay. In make, the Morgans are round 

 and heavy, with lean heads, wide and deep chest, the fore -legs are set 

 well apart, clean and sinewy, besides being strong, and, as a transatlantic 

 authority on the breed observes as to make and endurance, they have 

 " that projection of ribs from the spine which is a sure indication of 



