844 THE EXTERIOR OF THE HORSE. 



Origin. — The most remarkable ponies come from England, Scot- 

 land, Ireland, Iceland, the Shetland Islands, Wales, Corsica, the Crau 

 d'Arles, the Landes, and, generally, from all mountainous and poor 

 countries. 



Price. — In France, the price of a pony varies from $60 to $300. 

 " In England, when the animal is exceptional, it may increase to $1000 

 or $1200 and even more.'" 



CHAPTER III. 



CAVALRY HORSES. 



The horses intended for the army are, in France and other conti- 

 nental countries, bought in the breeding districts by special committees, 

 which act under instructions from the Minister of War. 



For the present, we will limit ourselves to indicating the divisions 

 established by the remounts, the requirements which the animals bought 

 by them must meet, and, finally, the prices which are paid for them. 



Army horses are divided into three great categories, according to 

 their service : the horses de carri^re, employed in the equestrian schools 

 of the army ; staff' horses, reserved for the remount of the corps of 

 officers ; finally, troop horses, which constitute the principal part of the 

 cavalry. Staff and troop horses are, besides, classed according to that 

 part of the army to which they are suited : reserve, line, light cavalry, 

 and artillery (saddle or harness). Again, in each of these subdivisions 

 they are distinguished, according to their qualities, as very good, good, 

 or passable. 



Each year the price of the cavalry horse is established by the 

 Budget Committee, but it generally remains about the same. 



This schedule price is neither a minimum nor a maximum one ; 

 it is looked upon as representing the value of a good horse in each 

 category. 



It is always understood that a sufficiently large margin is left to the 

 officials of the remount depots, for the practice of economy, either by en- 

 couraging the production of horses of such or such a category by paying 

 more for them, or in order to give a proper value to the animals that 

 are difficult to obtain, as the cavalry-school and the reserve horses, for 

 example, which are in great private demand by the wealthy. It is the 



1 Plazen, loc. cit. 



