66 REPORT OP THE SCOTTISH COMMISSION 



The Horse 



Horses were found in far greater number on every farm than 

 would be considered necessary in this country, and at first we had 

 some difficulty in understanding what they do with them all. But 

 we could see that they were neither fed nor worked so well as 

 ours, and that they were all of the light-legged type, and worked 

 mostly two abreast in all harness, and on the road were driven 

 at a trot. The Danes load their horses lightly, and at several 

 places we found that they fed them during summer chiefly on 

 a ration of chopped straw and grass which were mixed together 

 in a heap long enough for the green succulent grass to render soft 

 and palatable the less attractive straw. But although this seemed 

 to be somewhat thrifty feeding, the horses were in splendid con- 

 dition ; in fact in many cases they were fat. We ultimately found 

 that a considerable number of horses are bred and exported to 

 Germany, and also that the Danes, like Englishmen, appreciate 

 horse flesh, but from a very different point of view. It may be 

 mentioned here that horses in Denmark sometimes sufibr from 

 tuberculosis. This Professor Bang attributes to the use of separated 

 milk to fatten them for human consumption. 



The Danish horses are generally docile animals, easy to feed 

 and handle, with plenty of rib and constitution about them, set 

 on rather straight legs of round bone with small deep feet. The 

 big feet of the Clydesdale do not find favour in Denmark. 

 Pedigrees are carefully kept and recorded in a Government stud 

 book. Horse Improvement Societies are subsidised by Govern- 

 ment at certain shows, and premiums for stallions are also given. 

 Stallions holding a Government premium are expected to serve 

 at least ten mares in their districts, the terms being somewhat 

 similar to those common in this country. A carefully organised 

 effort is made by Government for the improvement of the horse 

 on similar lines to that adopted for cattle. That this is having 

 an effect may be judged by the increased exportation, which 

 amounted to over 23,000 head in 1903. The general appearance 

 of the draught horses in Denmark is not unlike a small Suffolk 

 Punch, having a good round barrel and legs bare of hair. A horse 

 weighing 1700 lbs. is considered a big size, but the average weight 

 would be from 1000 to 1200 lbs. Scotchmen might easily at first 

 sight under-estimate th'e qualities of the Danish horse. The breed 

 experts are manifestly working for what best suits their food, 

 climate, and sandy soil. There are altogether about half a million 

 horses in Denmark. 



Sheep 



Sheep are seldom seen in the cattle districts of Denmark, 

 although there are over one million in the country. Judging by 

 the specimen of a cross-bred sheep shown at Skanderborg, attention 

 is being given to this department also. In passing it may be noted 

 that the show sheep were clipped, with a small tuft of wool left 

 on the shoulder to show the quality of the wool. 



