AGRICULTURAL AND HEAVY DRAUGHT-HORSES. 17 



The dray-horse might be truly designated a Shire horse, as 

 he is bred in Lincolnshire, Berkshire, Oxfordshire, Wiltshire, 

 Herefordshire, and Yorkshire. He is usually an immense 

 beast — a mammoth horse, in fact, "slow, ponderous, and 

 stately, weighing from fifteen hundredweight to a ton, and 

 standing from seventeen to nineteen hands high, capable of 

 drawing and backing — a pair of them — from three to four tons 

 in a two-wheeled dray, and from six to seven tons in a four- 

 wheeled one when three or four of them are yoked in it." Their 

 colours are various ; those held in most esteem are perhaps 

 red and blue roans. 



The Suffolk Punch or cart-horse is not much in use out of 

 that county, and has changed much of late years. Formerly 

 he was about fifteen hands high, short and compact in build, 

 with thin legs, and low, thick shoulders. The colour was 

 always chestnut, running through five shades — from light sorrel 

 to dark chestnut. Now, however, he is bred larger — from 

 fifteen hands two inches to sixteen hands, but the colour is 

 the same. The popular notion is that, though excellent for 

 farm labour, he does not do well at road work ; but neverthe- 

 less, for harness, when he is well-shaped and a good stepper, 

 he realises a large price. 



Considering the large and important share draught-horses 

 take in labour, and that they are perhaps more profitable to 

 breed than any other kind of horse, a most essential point to 

 bear in mind in their production is their freedom from here- 

 ditary defects and predisposition to disease, and especially such 

 as will militate against their usefulness. Soundness in them is 

 of much moment, and particularly soundness in wind^ legs, and 

 feet. It is in the two latter that these horses most frequently 

 fail. 



Next to soundness, as Keynolds observes, and far more 

 desirable than perfect symmetry, is the possession of good 

 action ; for without it an otherwise excellent animal is 

 c 



