CHAPTER VI. 

 BREEDS OF HORSES AND THEIR CHARACTERISTICS. 



.. INFLUENCE OF COUNTRY AND CLIMATE. II. THE FARM HORSE. III. 



THE CLYDESDALE HORSE. IV. THE NORMAN-PERCHERON.-^V. THE 



PERCHERON OF TO-DAY. VI. THE CONESTOGA HORSE. VII. ROAD 



HORSES. VIII. TROTTING HORSES. IX. HUNTING HORSES. X. 



LIGHT DRIVING HORSES. XL COACH HORSES. XII. THE CLEVELAND 



BAY. XIII. THE FRENCH COACH HORSE. XIV. THE HACKNEY HORSE. 



XV. PONIES. XVI. VERMONT DRAFT HORSE. XVII. NARAGANSETT 



PACER. XVIII. THE SHIRE. XIX. THE BELGIAN HORSE. XX. CHAR- 

 ACTERISTICS OP THE BELGIAN HORSE. 



I. Influences of Country and Climate. 



Every country of the earth has a breed or breeds of horses, each with 

 its peculiar characteristics; and the horses of Asia, Africa, Europe and 

 America have their points of difference as strongly marked as do the hu- 

 man inhabitants of these grand divisions of the globe. Besides the pe- 

 culiarities resulting from local influences of climate, topography, etc., 

 the horse has others which are due to the treatment and training received 

 at the hands of his masters, since from a long course of artificial breed- 

 ing and feeding, he has become a purely artificial animal, except among 

 barbarians or savage tribes. Among savages, his hard environment has 

 made him degenerate — has in fact reduced him to a condition inferior to 

 that of the horses found running wild where they have increased and 

 multiplied on pasturable lands, after having escaped from domestication. 

 The horse in the latter condition has already been sufficiently mentioned 

 in the fii*st chapter. In the present chapter we purpose to notice only the 

 more important breeds of civilization, or those that have acquired celebrity 

 for their valuable qualities. 



II. The Farm Horse. 



The farm horse is the most important member of the equine family, 

 for the reason that he is used by the largest number of people, and 

 is employed in the production of that which sustains life in man. 

 The farm horse cannot lay claim to the dignity of a distinct breed, as he 

 is composed of mixed blood, and is dependent for whatever valuable quali- 

 ties he possesses, upon the intelligence of the people by whom he is bred. 

 The majority of farm horses are inferior to the more respectable of the 

 fixed breeds, though of late years they have steadily increased in valuable 

 qualities, through the introduction of superior blood; and in many 

 districts they are, as they should l)e, bred with reference to their sale for 

 particular uses, after they have partially paid for their care by their labor 

 on the fai-uL 



The Horse of All Work. — The farm horse should essentially be a hoi-se 

 of all work, of good style and action, and of about 1200 pounds weight. 



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