lUU Tin-: DIFFERENT BREEDS OF ENGLISH HORSES. 



It was the vciy liorse to tlirow his whole Aveight into the collar, with 

 suflBcient activity to do it effectually and hardihood to stand a long day's 

 work. 



The present breed possesses many of the peculiarities and good qualities 

 of its ancestors. It is more or less inclined to a sorrel colour ; it is a taller 

 horse ; higher and finer in the shoulders ; and is a cross with the York- 

 shire half or three-fourths bred. 



The excellence, and a rare one, of the old Suffolk — the new breed has 

 not quite lost it^consisted in nimbleness of action, and the honesty and 

 continuance with which he would exert himself at a dead pull. Many a 

 o-ood draught horse knows well what he can effect ; and, after he has 

 attempted it and failed, no torture of the whip will induce him to strain his 

 powers beyond their natural extent. The Suffolk, however, would tug at a 

 dead pull until he dropped. It was beautiful to see a team of true Suffolks, 

 at a signal from the driver, and without the Avhip, down on their knees 

 in a moment, and drag e-verything before them. Brutal Avagers v,ere 

 frequently laid as to their power in this respect, and many a good team 

 was injured and ruined. The immense power of the Suffolk is accounted 

 for by the low position of the shoulder, which enables him to throw so 

 nmch of his weight into the collar. 



Although the Punch is not what he was, and the Suffolk and Norfolk 

 farmer can no longer boast of ploughing more land in a day than any one 

 else, this is undoutatedly a valuable breed. 



The Duke of Richmond obtained many excellent carriage horses, with 

 strength, activity, and figure, by crossing the Suffolk with one of his best 

 hunters. 



The Suffolk breed is in great request in the neighbouring counties of 

 Norfolk and Essex. Mr. Wakefield, of Barnham in Essex, had a stallion 

 for which he was offered four hundred guineas. 



The Clydesdale is a good kind of draught horse, and particularly for 

 farming business and in a hilly country. It derives its name from the 

 district on the Clyde, in Scotland, where it is principally bred. The 

 Clydesdale horse owes its origin to one of the Dukes of Hamilton, Avho 

 crossed some of the best Lanark mares with stallions that he had brought 

 from Flanders. The Clydesdale is larger than the Suffolk, and has a 

 better head, a longer neck, a lighter carcase, and deeper legs ; he is 

 strong, hardy, pulling true, and rarely restive. The southern parts of 

 Scotland are principally supplied fi'om this district ; and many Clydesdales, 

 not only foi- agricultural purposes, but for the coach and the saddle, find 

 their way to the central, and even southern counties of England. Dealers 

 from almost every part of the United Kingdom attend the markets of 

 Glasgow and Rutiierglen. 



Mr. Low says that ' the Clydesdale horse as it is now bred is usually 

 sixteen hands high. The prevailing colour is black, but the brown or bay 

 is common, and is continually gaining upon the other, and the grey is not 

 unfrequently produced. They are longer in the body than the English 

 black horse, and less weighty, compact and muscular, but they step out 

 more freely, and have a more iiseful action for ordinary labour. They 

 draw steadily, and are usually free from vice. The long stride, cha- 

 racteristic of the breed, is partly the result of conformation, and partly of 

 habit and training ; but, however produced, it adds greatly to the useful- 

 ness of the horse, both on the road and in the fields. No such loads are 

 known to be drawn, at the same pace, by any horses in the kingdom, as 

 in the single-horse carts of carriers and others in the west of Scotland.' 



In the opinion of this gentleman, ' the Clydesdale horses, although 

 inferior in weight and physical strength to the black horse, and iia figure 



