44 FORl':iGX BREEDS OF HORSES. 



THE FRENCH HORSE. 



According to the survey of 1829, France contained 2,400,000 liorses 

 including those of every description. The number of mares was 1,227,781. 

 The greater j)art of these were employed in the breeding of mules, and 

 perhaps not more than a fourth part were used for keeping up the number 

 of horses. Besides these, nearly 27,000 horses are annually imported 

 inter France, either on speculation of immediate sale, or for the express 

 purpose of improving the breed. 



Tvvo-thii'ds of the French horses are devoted to purposes of light work, 

 and possess a certain degree, and that gradually increasing, of Eastern 

 blood. There is room, however, for a great deal more than the French 

 horse usually possesses. One-third of the horses are employed in heavy- 

 work ; 70,000 in post work ; and about the same number are registered as 

 fit for military use, although not more than half of them are on actual 

 service. The ascertained number of deaths is about one in 12 or 13, or 

 leaving the average age of the horse at 12. This speaks strongly in 

 favour of the Immanity of the French, or the hardihood of the horses, for 

 it exceeds the average duration of the life of the horse in England by 

 more than two years. Calculating the average value of the Fi'ench horse 

 at 400 francs, or 16?.. 13s. 4^d., there results a sum of 960,000,000 francs, 

 or 40,000,000 poimds sterhng, as the gross value of this species of national 

 property. 



It must be supposed that so extensive a coiintry as France possesses 

 various breeds of horses. Auvergne and Poitou produce good ponies and 

 galloways ; but the best French liorses ai'e bred in Limousin and Nor- 

 mandy, From the former district come excellent saddle-horses and 

 hunters, and from the latter a stronger species for the road, the cavalry 

 service, and the carriage. 



M. Hoiiel has recently published an interesting work on the varieties of 

 the horse in France. He states that in the time of the Romans there were 

 but two kinds of horses, — the war-horse, and the sumpter or pack-horse. 

 The carriage, or draught- horse, was comparatively or quite unknown ; 

 and even men of the highest station suffered themselves to be indolently 

 draivn by oxen. Great care was taken to preserve or to renew the 

 strength and speed of the war-horse, and African or Ai'ab blood was 

 diligently sought. An animal, the tj^DO of the English Cleveland breed, 

 the handsomest and strongest description of the coach-horse, was thus pro- 

 cured. By degrees, this horse was found too valuable for a hackney, and 

 too high-trotting for a long journey, and a more smoothly-moving anixual 

 was gradually introduced. Still the charger did not grow quite out of 

 fashion, and in Normandy the rearing of this animal became an object of 

 much attention to the farmer. At first they were bred too slow and pon- 

 derous, but by degrees a horse was obtained of somewhat lighter action 

 and considerable speed without much sacrifice of strength, and they now 

 constitute a most valuable breed. ' I have not elsewhere,' says M. Hoiiel, 

 ' seen such horses at the collar, under the diligence, or the post- carriage, or 

 the farm-cart. They are endui-ing and energetic beyond description. At the 

 voice of the brutal driver, or at the dreaded sound of his never-ceasing whip, 

 they put forth all their strength, and they keep their condition when 

 other horses would die of neglect and hard treatment.' The little Norman 

 cart-horse is perhaps the best for farm- work. The Norman horses — and 

 the same observation applies to all the northern provinces of France — are 

 very gentle and docile. A kicking or vicious one is almost unknown 

 thore ; but they are, with few exceptions, treated with tyranny and 

 cruelty from first to last. The reign of terror may to a certain degree be 



