142 THE HORSE AND ITS RELATIVES 



which special mention may be made of those 

 of Hanover, Oldenburg, Schleswig-Holstein, and 

 East Friesland. The original black Hanoverian 

 appears, however, to have died out some time 

 subsequent to 1746. Near Osnabruck is kept the 

 celebrated stud of black Drenthe horses, originally 

 from Drenthe, in Holland, to which reference is 

 made on page 129, in the preceding chapter, where 

 there is also mention of the royal cream-coloured 

 horses, whose origin is Hanoverian. The name 

 of German coach-horse is applied to horses of the 

 above stamp, whose height ranges from 16 to i6J 

 hands, and whose colour (exclusive of the creams) 

 is almost invariably bay, brown, or black. The 

 body is relatively large, with a high rump and well- 

 set tail, the neck long and arched, the withers high, 

 the legs relatively long, and the feet of excellent 

 shape. The horses of Holland and Flanders are 

 a heavier type of the same strain ; and, as already 

 mentioned, it is from the big black horses of this 

 part of the Continent that the English shire draws 

 many of its present features. Germany possesses 

 many other breeds ; but as these have been 

 modified by crossing, they do not come within the 

 scope of the present survey. Much the same may 

 be said with regard to Danish horses ; the principal 

 breeding-ground for these is on the Oldenburg 

 border. Reference has been previously made 

 (p. 122) to the dun and other horses of Norway, 



