CHAPTER XII 



FRENCH, BELGIAN AND FLEMISH DRAFT-HORSES 



FRANCE, like Great Britain, has several breeds of 

 draft-horses. Standing out prominently, as superior to 

 all others, is the ancient Percheron. 



He has a most interesting history, which is too 

 voluminous to be recorded here. The student will be 

 interested in perusing "The Percheron Horse," by 

 Charles DuHays, which, through the efforts of William 

 T. Walters, of Baltimore, has been translated. The 

 illustrations enable one by comparison to judge of the 

 improvement which has been made since it was written. 

 A good idea of the general character of the best 

 specimens of the Percheron before the breed took on 

 its present distinctive draft tyj>e may be secured by 

 studying the illustration of Success. (Fig. 38.) 



Neither the kind, number nor character of the 

 French horse is known prior to the battle of Tours. 

 In 732, the Saracen chief, Abderaine, was defeated by 

 Charles Martel, at Tours, in one of the most famous 

 battles of history. The invading army, 300,000 of 

 which it is said were slain, was from the East, as were 

 also the horses which the cavalry rode. While these 

 horses were not supposed to have been of any particular 

 breed, the fact that they were from the Orient gives 

 assurance that they were not of the heavy -draft 



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