CHAPTER X 



THE GERMAN COACH 



The native home of the German Coach horse is in northwestern 

 Germany in the rich lowlands drained by the rivers Elbe, Weser, 

 and Ems, which flow into the North Sea. Here, especially in the 

 states of Hanover, Oldenburg, and Schleswig-Holstein, this type 

 of coach horse has long been bred. 



Early records of horse breeding in Germany go back about five 

 centuries. As early as 1500 important fairs in Friesland on the 

 German border were patronized by Dutch, Belgian, and German 

 horse buyers. From 1628 to 1648 Count Ulrich II owned stables 

 of much importance. In 1648 a government stud was established 

 at Ilo, Germany. From these early days, up to the World War, 

 horse-breeding operations in Oldenburg and Hanover were exten- 

 sively conducted. Government supervision has prevailed over the 

 horse breeding in this section of Germany. 



The introduction of the German Coach horse to America is 

 comparatively recent. These horses were first brought to the 

 United States along in the eighties. Not much prior to 1890 did 

 the breed receive recognition at American shows. A. B. Holbert, 

 of Greeley, Iowa, was one of the earliest introducers of the breed. 

 The Oltmann Brothers of Illinois and Crouch and Son of Indiana 

 were also actively and prominently identified with its promotion 

 during its career in the United States. 



Characteristics of the German Coach horse. In height the breed 

 ranges from 16 to i6|- hands and in weight from 1350 to 1450 

 pounds. The color does not vary greatly, being almost exclusively 

 bay, brown, or black. The head is fairly typical of the coachers, 

 the neck being long and arched, the shoulders well placed, and 

 the withers prominent. The body of the German Coach is some- 

 what larger than that of the French Coach, and the croup is high 

 and the tail well placed. The legs show considerable length, com- 

 pared with the Hackney, while the feet are excellent. On the basis 



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