42 THE HORSE. 



f|iier.tl) to have recourse. It is the Suffolk crossed, although not so 'ecplj 

 AS some, witli the Flanders. 



This is the very system, as we shall presently describe, %'hich has 

 been adopted with such success in the blood-horse, and has made the 

 English racer and hunter, and the English horse generally, what it is. 

 As the racer is principally or purely of Eastern origin, so has the Eng- 

 lish draught horse sprung chielly from Flemish blood, and to that Hood 

 the agriculturist has recourse for the perfection of the breed. For the 

 dray, the spirit waggon, and not too heavy loads, and for road-work gener- 

 ally, a cross with the Flanders will be advantageous; but if, in London, 

 the enormous heavy horse must be used in the coal-waggon, or the heavier 

 load of the wharf, we must leave our midland black, with all his unwieldly 

 bulk, untouched. 



As an ordinary beast of lighter draught, and particularly in the neigh- 

 bourhood of London, the worn out hackney and the refuse of the coach, 

 and even of the hackney-coach is used. In the hay-markets of St. 

 James's and Whitechapel are continually seen wretched teams, whicli 

 would disgrace the poorest district of the poorest country. The small 

 farmer in the vicinity of the metropolis, himself strangely inferior to the 

 small farmer elsewhere, has too easy access to Smithfield, that sink of cru- 

 elty. They who are unacquainted with this part of the country, would 

 scarcely think it possible, tiiat on the forests and commons within a few 

 miles of London, as many ragged, wild, mongrel horses are to be found, 

 as in any district of the United Kingdom, and a good horse is scarcely by 

 any chance bred there. 



CAVALRY HORSE. 



This is the proper place to speak of the cavalry horse. That noble ani- 

 mal whose varieties we are describing, so admirably adapted to contribute 

 to our pleasure and our use, was at a very early age perverted to the de- 

 structive purposes of war; and, as if he had been destined to the murder- 

 ous business, seemed to e.xult and triumph in the work of death. 



A sacred writer, more tiian three thousand years ago, gives us a sublime 

 account of the manner in which the horse, at that time, as at present, en- 

 tered into the spirit of the battle — Job xxxix. 19 et seq. : 



" Hast thou given the horse strength ? hast thou clothed his neck with 

 thunder? Canst thou make him afraid as a grassliopper? Tiie glory of his 

 nostrils is terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength : 

 he goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear and is not affrighted ; 

 neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth against him, 

 the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth ihe ground with fierce- 

 ness and rage. He saith among the trumpets Ha ! ha ! He smelleth the 

 battle afar off, the thunder of the captains and the shouting." 



The cavalry horses contain a different proportion of blood, according to 

 the nature of the service required, or the caprice of the commanding 

 officer. Those of the household troops are from half to three-fourths 

 bred. Some of the lighter regiments have more blood in them. Our 

 cavalry horses were formerly large and heavy. To this imposing size was 

 added action as imposing. The horse was trained to a peculiar, and g'and 

 and beautiful method of going ; but he was often found deficient in reai 



