THE PERCHERON 107 



with horses in high condition. The height of stallions ranges 

 ordinarily from 16 to 17 hands and mares from 15 J to i6i 

 hands.) A lower-set type is desired, but where heavier weight is 

 emphasized 17 hands is necessary to show plenty of scale and 

 substance. The following figures of heights and weights of 

 stallions of distinction are of interest: Brilliant 1271 stood 

 16 hands and weighed 1850 pounds; Seducteur (8850), Pink. 

 24765 (47513), Olbert 42815 (53109), and Villers 13169 (1808) 

 are each said to have stood about 17 hands and weighed 2100 

 pounds; Calypso 25017 (44577) stood i6| hands and weighed 

 1900 pounds ; Etudiant 70802 (59291) stood I7J- hands and 

 weighed 2100 pounds; and Introuvable 16875 ( 2 4 I 4fy, regarded 

 as a very large Percheron, stood 17! hands and weighed 2300 

 pounds. Referring to weight, W. S. Corsa of Illinois, long a 

 prominent breeder, makes the following comment : l 



A mare weighing from 1 700 to 1 800 pounds in ordinarily good condition, 

 is the draft mare that may be expected to give a good account of herself both 

 at work and in the stud. Get size in the offspring through the selection of the 

 sire and through the kind, quality and quantity of feed given the colts. Fortu- 

 nately, it is among these under excessive weights that we find the greatest 

 number of mares of acceptable breed type sweetly feminine sorts which usually 

 have necks long enough so that one may put his arm around and love them. 



Quoting from the same source, E. B. White, a noted breeder 

 of Virginia, states that the stallion should be of medium size 

 and suggests that he "weigh not more than 2100 pounds in 

 show condition." 



The temperament of the Percheron is of the quiet, phlegmatic 

 sort, such as prevails with the horse of heavy weight, although 

 somewhat more nervous and active than the Shire or Belgian. 

 The disposition of horses of this breed is of the best, and as 

 one sees them at work in their native country, where many 

 stallions of the breed are found in harness, they are all the most 

 exacting could desire in this regard. 



The maturing quality of the Percheron is of the first class, 

 and the colts when properly nourished attain large size in a rela- 

 tively short time. Many weanling colts at the fall shows weigh 

 about 800 pounds and at twelve months of age should pass the 



1 A History of the Percheron Horse (1917), p. 530. 



