THE HORSE BREEDING. 565 



weighing one thousand and two hundred to one thousand, two 

 hundred and fifty pounds each, with small, bony heads ; large 

 nostrils ; broad foreheads ; large, bright eyes ; small, tapering 

 ears ; long necks, nicely arched, deep as they spring from the 

 shoulders and small at the throat-latch; long, oblique shoulder- 

 blades ; moderately high withers ; short backs, and deep but 

 not over-broad chests, because a horse with a very wide breast, 

 although usually of good constitution and great strength, is sel- 

 dom a graceful or rapid trotter ; is apt to have a " paddling " 

 gait, and if used for road work will generally give out in the 

 fore-legs from the extra strain put upon them by the weight of 

 the broad chest. Our team must also have long, muscular 

 thighs ; large knees and other joints ; short cannon (shin) 

 bones ; legs broad below the knees, and hocks with the sinews 

 clearly defined ; fetlocks free from long hair ; long, moderately 

 oblique pasterns ; rather small, though not contracted feet; 

 broad loins ; wide, smooth hips, and long, full tails. They must 

 have plenty of nervous energy, and good knee action ; must be 

 prompt,, free drivers, capable of trotting a mile in four minutes ; 

 be fast walkers, and good, hearty eaters ; must not " interfere," 

 and must carry their heads well up without checks when on 

 the road. 



" It will readily be seen that these mares are neither Clydes- 

 dales, Normans, Canadians, Arabians, thorough-breds, nor trot- 

 ters; but they are a team which will pull the plow through two 

 acres of land in a day ; will pull a ton, yes, two, if the roads are 

 good, of produce to the village four miles off in less than an 

 hour, and trot back with the empty wagon in half that time 

 without distressing themselves or their driver. Should the 

 farmer have a trip of twenty miles to make on business or 

 pleasure, he can hitch them to his spring wagon, take his wife 

 and children with him, and they need not be away from home 

 more than three hours ; or should he choose to go on horseback, 

 he can mount one of the mares and onjoy a ride on a very fair 

 saddle-horse. A team of Clydesdales may pull a heavier load 

 at a dead drag; Canadians will stand more exposure and poorer 

 fare; Arabians are better saddle-horses; thorotijjh-breds can out- 



