414 COLOR. 



Of the black, greater care has been taken. The heavy black 

 of liincolnshire and the midland counties is a noble animal, and 

 would be almost beyond price if he could be rendered more ac 

 live. The next in size constitute the majority of our wagon- 

 horses, and perhaps our best ; and, on a smaller breed, and to 

 the improvement of which much attention has been devoted, 

 nany of our cavalry are mounted. A few black thoroug-]i-bred 

 horses and black hunters are occasionally seen, but the improve- 

 ment of horses of this color has not been studied, except for the 

 purposes that have been mentioned. Their peculiar high action, 

 while not objectionable for draught, and desirable for the parade, 

 would be unbearable in the roadster. Black horses have been 

 said to be more subject to vice, disease, and blindness, than those 

 of any other color. This charge is not true to its full extent ; 

 but there certainly are a great many worthless black horses in 

 in every part of the country. 



After all, there is an old saying, that a good horse cannot be 

 a bad color ; and that it is far more necessary to attend to the 

 conformation and points of the animal than to his color. The 

 foregoing observations, however, although they admit of many 

 exceptions, may be useful m guiding to the judicious purchase 

 of the horse. ^ 



* Note hj Mr. Spooner. — Color. — We do not consider that the size, con- 

 formation, and qualitications of hors^es depend so much on the color as the 

 text would imply. We have found both good and bad horses of every 

 color, and the only rule we can admit as correct is, that certain colors denote 

 deficient breeding, ami therefore such animal is not likely to be so good as 

 he looks, but is probably deficient in bottom or the powers of endurance. 

 These colors are black, whicli prevails so much with cart-horses, and sorrel, 

 dun, piebald, ttc. ; the possessors of which come from the north, and possess 

 no eastern blood. Black horses, unless evidently high bred, are very oftei). 

 soft and sluggish, with breeding insufficient for their work ; the pedigree of 

 the majority of them may be dated from the plough-tail, whatever admix- 

 tures there may have been since. White hair denotes a thin skin, which is 

 objectionable, when it prevails on the legs of horses, as such animals are 

 moie disposed to swelled legs and cracked heels than others. Bay horses 

 with black legs are greatly esteemed, and yet we have known many 

 determined slugs of this hue. Their constitution is, however, almost inva- 

 riably good. Chestnut is the prevailing color with our race-horses, and con- 

 sequently chestnut horses are generally pretty well bred, and possess the 

 good and bad qualities which obtain most amongst thorough- breds. The 

 Suffolk cart-norse is also distinguished b}^ his light chestnut color : and it ia 

 no small recommendation to find that this br^ed has, for several years past< 

 carried away tlie principal prizes at the animal shows of the Royal Agricul 

 tural Society of Enghiud. 



Gray is a very good color, and one which has become very fashionable 

 for carriage and phaiton horses during the present reign. Her Majesty's 

 ponies, as they are still called, although they have increased in height from 

 thirteen to fifteen hands, are beautiful specimens of this color, and have 

 rendered the color fashionable for harneiss purposes. These horses have a 



