COLOR AND OTHER CHARACTERISTICS 165 



lighter colors; hence the effort in France is to produce 

 darker colored animals than formerly. So, too, in the 

 United States, dark grays are sought rather than light 

 grays. It will take many generations to entirely elimi- 

 nate the light colors, so long one of the characteristics 

 of the breed; but this will be accomplished in time if 

 Americans persist in preferring dark- rather than light- 

 colored draft -horses. This preference is not founded 

 on a fad, for, other things being equal, dark-colored 

 horses are to be preferred to light -colored ones. 



The body of the Percheron has something of the 

 pony compactness. Legs shortish with massive forearm, 

 but clean and closely knit, especially below the knee, 

 with pastern -joint free from "feather." Most specimens 

 have fine heads. The true Percheron head is clean, 

 expressive in all parts, of moderate size, topped with 

 beautiful ears and well set on a magnificent flexible 

 neck, although it is large at the base, where it is broadly 

 attached to rather oblique shoulders, all of which give 

 the appearance of strength with style and elasticity, 

 with no suggestion of the pig's neck. All of the draft- 

 breeds are remarkably free from bone diseases, consid- 

 ering their great weight and their severe work. The 

 draft -horse of whatever breed has a thick skin, which 

 is not as sensitive as is the skin of the warm-blooded 

 horse. The not over-sensitive, thickish skin, coupled 

 with difficult work and great weight, all tend to certain 

 skin diseases which, fortunately, usually only injure the 

 symmetry of the limbs and in most cases are of a mild 

 character. The feet are firm, and usually a little more 

 rotund and erect than are those of some of the other 



