Ill] AND HISTORIC TIMES 345 



found in the Bernese Jura, is an excellent draught-horse, whilst 

 the black Erlenbach is more elegant and would almost make a 

 trotter \ 



Austria- Hungary possesses many good horses, but with those 

 of Hungary we have already dealt. The horses of Austria may 

 be classed as (1) indigenous breeds about 14 hands high, rather 

 angular in shape (reminding us of Vegetius's description of the 

 Huonish horses, p. 319), good workers, and closely resembling 

 the ponies used by Russian peasants*. It seems certain that in 

 these animals we have the descendants of the ancient ponies of 

 the Danubian region, such as those driven by the Sigynnae, and 

 their resemblance to the country ponies of Russia confirms the 

 conclusion that we have in them the old European-Asiatic 

 horses more or less modified by crossing with superior blood. 



(2) There are half-bred saddle and carriage- horses, and 



(3) special breeds of which the most notable are the following. 

 The Haflinger ponies are used in the mountains ; they are 



about 13"3 hands high, and are used for draught and riding, at 

 which they excel as they are extremely sure-footed. They are 

 very slow, but very safe. 



The Bosnian ponies are from 12 to 13 hands high and are 

 strong, hardy, and enduring. 



The Kladrub breed, so called from the imperial stud at 

 Kladrub in Bohemia, is likewise often termed the large Spanish. 

 From the close connection between Austria, Spain, and Italy 

 during the reigns of Charles V and some of his successors, 

 many horses were imported into Austria and Bohemia from the 

 former countries, and from these has resulted the Kladrub 

 breed which is used only for imperial purposes and by the 

 archbishop of Olmutz in Moravia. The chief characteristics of 

 this breed are their Roman noses, arched necks, heavy crests, 

 gi-eat height (the most valued standing from 17 to 18 hands 

 high), extravagant action, and the perpendicular position of 

 their necks when in harness. This characteristic they probably 

 inherit from their Spanish ancestors, which had similar con- 

 formation and action. As these characteristics are greatly 

 admired, they have naturally been accentuated by artificial 

 1 Cuyer and Alix, op. cit. p. 653. - Hayes, op. cit. pp. 526-7. 



