102 



THE DIFFERENT BREEDS OF ENGLISH HORSES. 



was sold to a farmer and dealer in Berkshire, on whose grounds he was 

 v/orked until he was four and a half years old. He was then sold at 

 Abingdon fair to the dealer from whom Messrs. Barclay purchased him. 



These heavy horses, however, are bred in the highest perfection, as to 

 f<h.e, in the fens of Lincolnshire, and few of them are less than seventeen 

 hands high at two and a half years old. Neither the soil, nor the produce 

 of the soil, is better than in other counties; on the contrary, much of the 

 lower part of Lincolnshire is a cold, hungry clay. The true explanation 

 of the matter is, that there are certain situations better suited than others 

 to different kinds of farming, and the breeding of different animals ; and, 

 that not altogether depending on richness of soil or pasture. The principal 

 art of the farmer is, to find out what will best suit his soil, and make the 

 produce of it most valuable. 



The Lincolnshire colts are also sold to the Wiltshire and Berkshire 

 dealers, as are those that are bred in "Warwickshire and Berkshire, at two 

 years, or sometimes only one year old, and worked until the age of four or 

 five years. 



A dray-horse should have a broad breast, and thick and upright shoulders, 

 (the more upriglit the collar stands on him the better,) a low forehand, 

 deep and round barrel, loins broad and high, ample quarters, thick fore- 

 arms and thighs, short legs, round hoofs broad at the heels, and soles not 

 too flat. The great fault of the large dray-horse is his slowness. This is 

 so much in the breed, that even the discipline of the ploughman, who 

 would be better pleased to get through an additional rood in the day, cannot 

 permanently quicken him. Surely the breeder might obviate this. Let 

 a dray-mare be selected, as perfect as can be obtained. Let her be put to 

 the strongest, largest, most compact, thorough-bred horse. If the produce 

 is a filly, let her be covered by a superior dray-horse, and the result of 

 this cross, if a colt, will be precisely the animal required to breed from. 



The largest of this heavy breed of black hoi*sos are used as draij-liorses. 



