FARMERS' REGISTER— BREEDS OF HORSES. 



597 



The following story is told of one of the Nar- 

 loegian horses. His master had been dining at a 

 neighborini^ town, and, when it was time 1o return, 

 had exceeded so much, that he could not keep a 

 firm seat in his saddle. The horse regulated 

 himself, as well as he could, according to the un- 

 settled motion of his rider, but, happening to 

 make a false step, the peasant was thrown, and 

 hung with one foot entangled in the stirrup. The 

 horse immediately stopped, and twisting his body 

 in various directions, endeavored to extricate his 

 master, but in vain. The man Vv'as severely hurt, 

 and almost helpless; but the shock had brought 

 him to his senses. The horse looked at him as 

 he lay on the ground, and, stooping, laid hold ot 

 the brim of his hat; and raised his head a little: 

 but the hat coming off, he fell again. The animal 

 then laid hold of the collar of his coat, and raised 

 him by it so far from the ground, that he was ena- 

 bled to draw his foot out of the stirrup. After 

 resting awhile he regained the saddle, and reach- 

 ed his home. Grateful to his preserver, the man 

 did, what every good teeling bid him — he cherish- 

 ed the animal until it died of old age. 



Many an English farmer owes a considerable 

 debt of gratitude to his intelligent and faithful ser- 

 vant, who has taken care of him Avhcn he was 

 unable to take care of himself, and, possibly, has 

 preserved his life. Let him repay the debt by 

 kinder usage. 



The Iceland Horse. 



There are numerous troops of horses in this 

 cold and inhospitable country, descended, accord- 

 ing to IMr. Anderson, from the Norwegian horse, 

 buT, according to Mr. Horrebow, being of Scottish 

 origin. They are very small, strong, and swift. 

 There are thousands of them in the mountains 

 which never enter a stable, bat instmct or habh 

 has taught them to scrape away the snow, or 

 break the ice. in search of their scanty food. A 

 few are usually kept in the stable, but when the 

 peasant wants more he catches as many as he 

 needs, and shoes them himself, and that some- 

 times with a sheep's horn.* 



Jlte Flemish and Dutch Horse. 



The Flemish and Dutch horses are large, and 

 strongly and beautifully formed. We are indebt- 

 ed to them for some of the best blood of our 

 draught-horses, and we still have frequent recourse 

 to them for keeping up and impro\ing the breed. 

 They will be more particularly described when 

 the cart-horse is spoken of 



The French Horse. 



France contains, like England, numerous 

 breeds of horses and considerable attention has 

 lately been paid to their improvement; but they 

 are far inferior to ours in beauty, fleetness, and 

 strength. The provinces of Auvergne and Poi- 

 tou produce good ponies and galloways; but the 

 best French horses are bred in Limousin and Nor- 

 mandy. From the former district some excellent 

 saddle-horses and hunters; and from the latter a 

 stronger species, for the road, the cavalry, or the 

 carriage. The Norman horses are now much 

 crossed by our hunters, and occasionally by the 

 thorough-bred; and the English roadster and light 



*Kerguelen's Voyage to the North. 



draught-horse has not suffered by a mixture with 

 the Norman. 



The Spanish Horse. 



Spain was early celebrated for her breed of 

 horses. The Andalusian charger and the Spanish 

 jennet are fiimiliar to all readers of romance. The 

 subjugation of so great a portion of the peninsula 

 to the Moorish sway, by introducing so much of 

 the Barbary blood, mainly contributed to the un- 

 disputed excellence of the Spanish horse. One 

 breed, long in the limbs, and graceful in all its mo- 

 tions, was ihe fiivorite war-horse of the knight; 

 while another race, carrying the esquire, although 

 infiirior in elegance, possessed far more strenojth 

 and endurance. The Spanish horse of the pre- 

 sent day is not much unlike the Yorkshire half- 

 bred; ])erhaps with flatter legs and better feet, but 

 far inferior figure. 



The Italian Horse. 



The Italian horses were once in high repute, 

 particularly the Neapolitans; but like every thing 

 else in those mismanaged countries, they have 

 sadly degenerated. One circumstance has mainlv 

 contributed to this falling off in reputation and va- 

 lue, viz. that the breed has been kept up by occa- 

 sional intermixture, not of Eastern, but of Euro- 

 pean blood. A few of the Neapolitan horses, 

 li-om their superior size and stateliness, are well 

 adapted for the carriage. 



The jimerican Horse. 



In the extensive territory and varied climate of 

 the United States, several breeds of horses are 

 found. 



The Canadian is found principally in Canada, 

 and the Northern States. He is supposed to be 

 of French descent, and many of the celebrated 

 ■American trotters are of this breed. We will 

 speak of some of them when we describe the 

 paces of the horse. 



The Conestoga horse is fliund in Pennsylvania, 

 and the middle states — lonj? in the leg and light in 

 the carcass — sometimes rising seventeen hands, 

 used principally for the carriage; but when not too 

 high, and with sufficient substance, useful for hunt- 

 ing and the saddle. 



The English horse, with a good deal of blood, 

 prevails in Virginia and Kentucky; and is found, 

 to a greater or less degree, in all the states. The 

 Americans have, at different times, imported 

 some of the best English blood. It has been 

 most diligently and purely preserved in the South- 

 ern States. The celebrated Shark, the best horse 

 of his day, and equalled by few at any time, was 

 the sire of the best Virginian horses; and Tally-ho, 

 a son of Highflyer, peopled the Jerseys. 



In the back-settlements, and in the south-west- 

 ern states, is ahorse resembling the wild horse of 

 the Pampas, already described, and evidently of 

 the same orimn. 



AN INQUIRY. 

 To the Editor of the Farmers' Register. 



Seemg that it is becoming somewhat common 

 to make application for agricultural information 

 through the columns of your paper, I shall take 

 the liberty of asking, what is the most eflcctual 

 and shortest method of restoring to fertility, worn, 



