BREEDS OF HORSES 19 



Arabian, prominent as one of the founders of the thoroughbred, 

 sired Flying Childers, the sire of Blaze. The mating of Blaze with 

 Norfolk mares did much toward the production of the Hackney. 

 Blaze sired Shales, the sire of Driver, the sire of Firefly, to which 

 most of the noted Hackney's trace. 



Characteristics. The Hackney is a stoutly built, compact, 

 smooth, strong-boned, muscular horse of proud appearance and a 

 kind disposition. His plump, graceful appearance with perfectly 

 curved outlines adapt him to carry a fine harness and to draw hand- 

 some and fashionable equipage in the park or boulevard. He should 

 have a clean cut intelligent head, neck strong and well arched but free 

 from coarseness, shoulders smooth and oblique, body round, short 

 and compact. Hips smooth, quarters plump with muscle, legs short, 

 strong boned and flat. Hoofs symmetrical and of good quality. 

 Action high, quick, elastic, regular, behind as well as in front, the 

 hocks being perfectly flexed to correspond w T ith the extreme high 

 knee action. The two words most perfectly describing the Hack- 

 ney are smoothness and action. Common colors are bay and brown; 

 height, 15.1 to 15.3 hands. 



Utility. The Hackney having been bred pure for over a hun- 

 dred years possesses strong prepotency or power to transmit his own 

 characteristics to his offspring and is therefore well fitted for mating 

 with trotting mares, and mares of mixed breeding for the produc- 

 tion of high stepping cob horses for city use. The mares to which 

 he is bred should possess some of the characteristics of the typical 

 Hackney. (Wis. B. 127.) 



FRENCH COACH HORSE. 



As indicated by the name, the breeding originated in France 

 where for many years it was termed Demi-Sang, being a product of 

 a cross between the English Thoroughbred and the native mares of 

 France that had considerable Oriental blood in their veins. In 

 1780 the French Government assisted the Horse Breeding Industry 

 of France and since that time has materially aided in the develop- 

 ment of the French breeds of horses that have become so noted. To 

 encourage the use of the best stallions and to discourage their ex- 

 portation, the Government allowed annual subsidies ranging from 

 $50 to $500 according to the breed and value of the individuals. 



Characteristics. The typical horse of this breed stands at least 

 16 hands high and weighs from 1,200 to 1,400 pounds. He is es- 

 sentially a coach or carriage horse. He is more rangy in type than 

 the Hackney, and has a graceful, free-moving gait; but does not 

 possess the quick and extreme high knee action that is so char- 

 acteristic of the Hackney. In other words it may be said that the 

 Coach horse moves more slowly and with more dignity than the 

 Hackney. Some of the horses of this breed are inclined to coarse- 

 ness and are not so desirable for breeding purposes; those of the 

 more refined type possessing considerable speed and of great pre- 

 potence are most desirable. 



Utility. These horses are suited for the production of large, 

 handsome coach or carriage horses. They should not be bred for ex- 



