THE PERCHEEON HOUSE. 31 



stnd, continues still its patriotic work, and keeps up its en- 

 couragements, in the form of prizes to stallions and brood- 

 mares encouragements to which Orne and Loir, and Cher, 

 appropriate annually considerable sums. 



There was formed, some years ago, at Chateaudun, with 

 the most disinterested and patriotic design, a powerful as- 

 sociation of proprietors, known under the name of u The 

 Horse Association of Perche" having for its mission the 

 furnishing of good stallions to the farmers. 



Trotting matches at Illiers, Courtalain, Vendome, Mont- 

 doubleau, and Mortagne, have been established ; but, with 

 all this, a success worthy of such eiforts has not yet been 

 obtained, on account of a lack of uniformity in the move- 

 ment. 



Competition at the fairs gives but too often the specta- 

 cle of size being systematically encouraged; while trot- 

 ting, in consequence of the speed required, leads to the 

 employment of English cross-breds. Would this oper- 

 ation were well directed! But even then, would this 

 English blood be used in right proportions ? I doubt it. 

 When it is used, it is used too much ; for, this blood, if it 

 be not employed with extreme reserve, an extreme parsi- 

 mony, if I may so speak, results in injuring the honest 

 traits and the valuable quality of early maturity ; it 

 destroys, in fact, that precocity of the breed, which enables 

 it at an early age to pay for its feed by its labor. The 

 breeders are almost invariably small farmers, and they 

 cannot afford to lose the time necessary to mature fancy 

 horses ; they must have quick sales and quick returns. 



