Chapter I. 



PERCHERONS. 



The Percheron is an old French breed, long noted for rapid and 

 effective draft work, and always supposed to owe much of its excellence 

 to Eastern blood. When steps were taken to compile the Percheron 

 Stud Book of France., careful inquiry revealed a much greater predomi- 

 nance of Arabian blood than had been previously claimed. 



It was then found that as Mr. Sanders, in his treatise on Horse 

 Breeding puts it 



"What the Darley Arabian was to the English Thoroughbred, and the gray Arabian 

 Smetanxa to the Orloff, the gray Arabian Gallipoli has been to the Percheron horse of 

 France " 



Du Hays (American Translation of the Percheron Horse), after 

 expressing his belief in its descent from Arabian blood, says: 



"We cannot, however, find in history the written positive proof that the Percheron 

 is an Arab, but we believe it easy, by fair historical deduction, to prove what he is in 

 fact." 



The same author, speaking of the improvement of the breed, states 

 that: 



' ' The Percherons must have been especially modified by contact with the breed of 

 Brittany, where their striking characteristics are now met with in a large number of 

 individuals." 



In Volume I. of the American Percheron Stud Book we find this 

 statement: 



" Aside from the history and traditions of the country, the Percheron horse himself 

 furnishes unmistakable evidence in his form, disposition, color and general characteristics 

 that he is closely allied to the Arab." 



Again, from the same source, we quote : 



"As the immense draft horses of the North (Flemish) were closely allied to, if not 

 identical with, the large breed that prevailed in Normandy and La Perche, prior to the 

 modification produced by the introduction of the blood of the Arabian and the Barb, 

 heretofore alluded to, it was very natural that, when the Percheron breeders found it 

 desirable to increase the size of their horses, their eyes should be turned towards this 

 kindred race, from which other countries had already drawn so heavily for the same 

 purpose. Accordingly we find that mares in large numbers were taken from these 

 northern departments, and from Belgium, under the various names of Belgians, Bou- 

 lonnais, Mares of Picardy, etc., and were bred to the stallions of La Perche. Stallions 

 from the same country were also extensively introduced, under various names and of 

 slightly differing types. But, notwithstanding the multiplicity of names arising from the 

 different departments in which they had been bred, and the slight variation in form that 

 existed, they were, after all, nothing more nor less than the Flanders Draft Horse the 

 same blood that had already exercised so potent an influence upon the horse stock of 

 Great Britain." 



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