100 



THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



The characteristics of this early type showed less scale, :\ 

 lighter weight, with a height ranging from 15 to 16 hands. It 

 was a superior general-purpose horse of draft conformation, yet 

 lacking large size and heavy weight. This type met with such 

 great favor that buyers from various parts of France, Germany, and 

 elsewhere began to draw upon the Perche for their horse stock. 

 Percheron deterioration came in with the improvement of the 

 breed. Toward the close of the first third of the nineteenth cen- 

 tury the demand for these horses in the Perche became so great 



that the farmers sold 

 their best brood mares 

 and stallions to such 

 an extent that they 

 had to be replaced. 

 Not enough good Per- 

 cherons were available, 

 so that other French 

 races were introduced. 

 Large numbers of 

 mares similar to Per- 

 cherons in size and 

 style were introduced 

 from Brittany, Picardy, 

 Boulogne, Caux, and 



FIG. 34. Etudiant 70802 (59291), champion Perche- 

 ron stallion in France, 1908. Imported to America 

 in 1909 by E. B. White of Virginia. In stud in 

 Ohio for some years and a successful sire. From 

 photograph taken in France by the author 



elsewhere. A great 

 many of these lacked 

 bone, substance, and 

 quality. With the improvement of highways came a demand for 

 heavier horses, and then buyers purchased large ones to meet 

 the increased demand. For a time quality was sacrificed for 

 quantity, the heaviest stallion being most in demand. Many of 

 the best brood mares of lighter type were sacrificed, thus causing 

 serious deterioration. This condition of affairs continued for some 

 years, until breeders recognized the absolute necessity of improv- 

 ing the breed so as to secure superior type and quality along 

 with increased size. 



The type 'of Percheron about 1877 is described by Richardson 

 in the following rather comprehensive manner : 



