HORSES OF INDUSTRY AND COMMERCE. 855 



the largest division of the group — are worth from $280 to $350. 

 The average price of those of the Compagnie generale des omnibus et 

 tramways of Paris is $250 ; a little more or a little less, according to 

 circumstances. 



C. — Light-Draught Horses. 



In this category we have placed the horses whose habitual step is 

 the fast trot. 



The true type which formerly represented it was the post-horse, 

 now somewhat scarce, but still reserved for certain services of luxury. 

 Teams of post-horses are in fact rather in vogue in chateaux, country 

 residences, and villas during the hunting, the racing, or the bathing 

 season, for visits among relatives, friends, or guests. 



The post-horse may be considered, from his conformation and breed- 

 ing, as the intermediate between the small coach-horse and the fast 

 heavy-draught horse. He should be low-set, rather plump, with good 

 members, regular body, with a fine neck, a horizontal croup, and long 

 gaits. His height varies from 1.56 metres to 1.58 metres. These 

 characters make him resemble very closely the cob, whose finer and 

 more brilliant qualities he does not, however, possess. He is driven 

 in twos or in fours in mail-coaches and family carriages. A few years 

 ago the dark gray was the color preferred for this kind of horses ; 

 now the bay and the black are preferred. Most of these horses come 

 from the vicinity of Mortagne (Orne), Cotes-du-Nord, and, especially, 

 Finistere, where they are fonnd in the Conquet, in the neighborhood 

 of St. Renan and Trelabu. Their average price is from $300 to $350. 



Secondary to these animals, but more common, less elegant, and 

 of less regular form, we place the geldings and mares of com- 

 merce, which are used for all sorts of professions and industries. 



Their height varies from 1.58 metres to 1.65 metres, according to 

 the weight of the vehicles which they are to draw ; it is rarely as high 

 as 1.70 metres ; in such cases they are nearly always thin, lanky, long- 

 leo-o-ed, and delicate. They are constantly worked alone, their load 

 beino- seldom heavy. They come principally from the Pays de Caux 

 (arrondissements of Havre, Dieppe, and Yvetot), the Ardennes, May- 

 enne, Sarthe, and C6tes-du-Nord. Their price varies from $200 to 



$400. 



In the series of light-draught subjects are found many small 

 common horses, suitable for fast individual or public services. 

 Thev are often designated (especially in Brittany and Normandy) by 

 the name bidets, or nags, but they have nothing in common with the 



