THE PERCHERON HORSE. 87 



vantages cannot be well appreciated, except by those 

 who, having raised horses, know what embarrassment .an 

 assemblage of colts of all sizes and ages produces. Un- 

 fortunately it would be very difficult to introduce this 

 excellent custom elsewhere, which has probably existed 

 for ages in Perche without the knowledge of its source." 



The colts destined for breeding are generally devoted to 

 .this purpose at the age of two years, and continue, on 

 an average, until they have attained the age of four. I 

 speak of Little Perche, for in Great Perche, since the 

 foundation of the Equestrian Society, the seat of which is 

 at- Chateaudun, and which extends its action to quite a 

 distance, the covering is done by adult stallions. At four, 

 they are sold either to Paris, or to foreigners, should their 

 merit render them worthy of such a choice. 



This total emigration of the male colts at the age of 

 six months, renders it very difficult to procure good stal- 

 lions of this breed. From Great Perche they are scattered 

 among the trade, often before the age of a sure selection. 

 When they are sought after in Perche, they are no longer 

 to be found ; they must then be followed and hunted up 

 on the Beauce farms, and this pursuit is extremely difficult. 

 It, however, offers greater chances of success than the 

 Chartres market, where the greatest number of mature 

 Percheron horses are to be found. 



As for the fillies, their experience is the same as that of 

 the colts, with this single difference that their life is 

 exempt from migration. They are raised in the region 

 in which they are foaled. They work from a very early 

 period, bear two or three colts, and then disappear, 

 like the males, in the vortex of consumption. For, 

 beyond some exceptional cases and remarkable pro- 

 ductions, it is rare that they grow old upon the farm. 

 The farmer, in order to lose nothing of their value, sencs 

 them off at the age of five, six, and seven years. It would 

 be a happy thing, as we have already said, if sufficient in- 



