THE BELGIAN. 167 



than Englisli or Scotcli cart horses of equal 

 size and strength would cost. However, it is 

 well known that until the government seriously 

 took up the business of ameliorating the breed, 

 the faults named were very general among the 

 draft horses of Belgium. 



Comparing the stallions and mares of the 

 breed to be seen in America today with those 

 horses of my earlier recollections, a great work 

 of improvement has been done, but there is still 

 a marked lack of levelness of conformation in 

 the breed as a whole, though the type is plainly 

 enough fixed. The short neck and the heavy 

 head are all too often in evidence, but are yield- 

 ing to the efforts of the breeders to correct these 

 faults. Increasing straightness of topline is 

 visible, but the drooping rump is still a breed 

 characteristic. Of very short legs, with plenty 

 of bone *and with a body of enormous width 

 and most excellent action at the trot, the Belgian 

 has proved very valuable in this country to mate 

 with loosely coupled, gangling mares and has 

 probably done better with that sort than any 

 other breed. 



Eeared on low land, eminently suitable for the 

 production of gross horses, the Belgian has lit- 

 tle to do from foalhood upward but to eat and 

 grow. He is for the most part reared on soft 

 feed and green grass and in the constant com- 

 panionship of man, so that he is the most docile 

 horse on earth in addition to being the largest. 



