14 PERCHERONS. 



imported after January ist, 1884, must be recorded in the Percheron 

 Stud Book of France. The value of this restriction, in preserving the 

 purity of the Percheron breed, is at once apparent, and cannot fail to 

 attract favorable notice from all lovers of thoroughbred stock. 



Secretary S. D. Thompson, Chicago, 111., writes under date of 

 December 20, 1892 : 



"The Percheron Association is in a flourishing condition, the number of entries 

 up to date being greater than those of all the other draft horse associations combined. 

 The fifth volume of the Percheron Stud Book is now in press, and will be issued at an 

 early date." 



DESCRIPTION AND CHARACTERISTICS. 



Color varies, gray mostly dappled predominating, while there 

 are many pure blacks and bays, and all shades of gray, from the darkest 

 iron to almost pure white. The body is low, square and full in all 

 points, with magnificent head, and a neck which, for beauty, would not 

 disgrace the proudest of Barbs. Legs are short in proportion, and 

 while very massive, are yet fine and close knit. Percheron breeders 

 claim almost perfect immunity from bone and leg diseases, such as ring- 

 bone, splint, wind-galls, etc. Our own experience with the breed, par- 

 ticularly with the half-blood colts from native mares, has not justified an 

 admission of this claim, and we feel compelled to state that some 

 breeders, and many who have used the Percheron grades for heavy farm 

 or other work, have expressed a belief that the Percherons are even 

 more subject to these troubles than some of the other breeds. 



The Percheron is a draft breed, mature stallions weighing from 

 i, 600 to 2,100 or 2,200 pounds, and their get from ordinary mares weigh- 

 ing from 1,200 to 1,700 or 1,800 pounds, when grown. They are quick, 

 active and intelligent. Some have thought them vicious, and we have 

 known a number of ill-tempered representatives of the breed ; but it is 

 more than likely that the troublesome temper was caused by unskillful 

 or "vicious" grooms. Quite a number have been brought to Texas 

 from Northern states, and some imported direct from France. While 

 they stand the climate as well as any of the large breeds, yet we cannot 

 say as do some of their partisan breeders that they acclimate with, 

 perfect safety. 



