THE BLA.CK STOCK. 271 



On the continent, the noblest black breed in 

 Europe is the Friesland or Dutch, commonly called 

 Hart-dracer, or fast-trotter : they are from fourteen 

 to sixteen hands high, with good necks and shoul- 

 ders, full bodies, round prominent haunches, the tail 

 attached rather low, and limbs sufficiently fine, 

 fringed a considerable way up the tendon above the 

 pasterns with longish hair : they have fire and 

 temper, but generally want bottom, although we 

 have formerly seen the Friesland Carabineers, and 

 even the black Hussars of Eckeren, handsomely 

 mounted upon them. Indeed, both the larger and 

 smaller sized horses of this breed extended con- 

 siderably into the Westphalian territories towards 

 Holstein, and the Dutch, Hannoverian, and Hessian 

 cavalry draw their remounts entirely from thence 

 for the heavy, and from Holstein and Denmark for 

 the light cavalry. Other studs are chiefly appro- 

 priated for coach-hoisfiSy and are exported to France 

 and Belgium. 



With slight variations in stature and form, the 

 black stock extends into Germany, through Swabia, 

 and by Alsatia, into Switzerland ; we find it again 

 large and bony in Italy, about Bologna, Tuscany, 

 and in the March of Ancona; here, however, the 

 breed becomes more modified by alliance with the 

 ancient Sicilian and the more recent Spanish horses 

 introduced at Naples. In Lombardy, the Hunga- 

 rian and Turkish races have likewise influenced the 

 better class of horses, and the princes of the country 

 have exerted themselves of late with the same laud- 



