THE HORSE 



105 



their vast fields, the breeding of horses is 

 much developed. The Oriental type predom- 

 inates ; hence it is supposed that the Hunga- 

 rian horse came originally from Asia with his 

 master, the Magyar. These ponies are now 

 disappearing and giving place to better culti- 

 vated breeds. The Jucker horse, which may 

 be regarded as the native Hungarian horse 

 ennobled, is at present the model type. Agile 



ninth century under the rule of the Normans, 

 who established breeding farms in the neigh- 

 borhood of Rouen, Caen, and Bayeux. 



During the succeeding centuries these heavy 

 Norman horses were crossed with English 

 blood, producing one of the most remarkable 

 breeds in France, — the French Coach, which 

 as a carriage horse enjoys great popularity 

 both in France and in our own country, the 



PiNKG.-\i' Horses ((jKkm.ax H.alf-Blood) 



and very enduring, he can cover extraordinary 

 distances at great speed. The Hungarians are 

 passionate horsemen and lovers of their steeds, 

 in which they are encouraged by the fine qual- 

 ities of those animals. 



France still possesses several types of primi- 

 tive horses, very distinct from one another. 

 In the South we find the descendants of Ori- 

 ental horses introduced by the Moors in the 

 seventh and eighth centuries, while in the 

 northern departments we still see the ancient 

 hot-blooded animals which flourished in the 



rival of both German and English horses of that 

 class He possesses all the necessary external 

 qualities, — height, massiveness, and nobility of 

 shape. Smaller and lighter than the Oldenburg 

 horse, he is quite as noble, and he excels him 

 in motion with a high-stepping action of the 

 knee. He is generally brown in color. 



On the northwest plains of France we still 

 find an ancient heavy horse, which we also 

 encounter everywhere along the shores of the 

 North Sea, not only in France but also in Bel- 

 gium, Holland, and Denmark. All this group 



