THE BREEDS OF HORSES 157 



They should not, however, appear soft. Height of stride 

 increases concussion, but that is not sufficient excuse 

 for some Hackneys pounding as they do, nor should their 

 action be labored, but airy. 



173. The French Coach (Fig. 77). Demi-sang or half 

 blooded to begin with and having been bred for cavalry 

 service primarily, the French Coach horse is not as readily 

 distinguishable as the other heavy harness breeds in which 

 the type is more uniform. The most approved individuals 

 of this breed are about sixteen hands high, and weigh 

 from 1200 to 1400 pounds ; are rather upstanding, suffi- 

 ciently close and full made to be of true harness form, yet 

 manifesting no suggestion of draftiness. They should 

 reflect their proximate Thoroughbred ancestry by their 

 refined heads and necks and the texture of bone and hoof 

 in their legs and feet. Hard, solid colors prevail, although 

 one or two white points, though rarely more, are common. 

 They move with a creditable show of both pace and action. 



In addition to the rather general lack of uniformity of 

 type there are many individuals of this breed that display 

 too much of the cold character of their original maternal 

 ancestry. Others, which give much promise standing 

 still, are most indifferent actors, and even among those 

 which go well there is a tendency to do it all in front, failing 

 to follow with a balanced action of hocks. 



174. The German Coach (Fig. 78). Tap rooted in the 

 region to which the Flemish horse was indigenous and bred 

 primarily for the mounting of the heavy, fully equipped 

 German trooper, size and substance predominate in this 

 breed. They stand full sixteen hands or more and some 

 weigh fifteen hundred pounds, being the largest of the heavy 

 harness breeds. Size and substance, without the introduc- 

 tion of any draft character, and hard, solid colors, more 



