HORSE. 



horse. They are fourteen to fifteen 

 hands, bay, sliort and round, small 

 heads, deep ciiests, fore-legs sot wide 

 apart, strong backs, good wind and 

 bottom. They are spirited, with good 

 action and form, and an admirable 

 roadster and carriage horse. 



The Norman horse, or Pcrchcron, is 

 a cross of the .Spanisli upon the Flem- 

 ish draught horse. He is remarkable 

 for spirit, liveliness, and draught qual- 

 ities. He averages sixteen hands, 

 head short, jaw heavy, neck short 

 and thick, shoulder oblique, short 

 back, quarters broad, chest deep and 

 wide, legs short. It is a very obedi- 

 ent race, bearing great hardships and 

 coarse fare. Mr. Harris, of New- 

 Jersey, has imported a fine pair. The 

 well-known and justly celebrated 

 Canadian horse has all the qualities 

 of the Norman, from which it is de- 

 rived, except the size. This breed, 

 although not so powerful, is much 

 more valuable than the English, 

 Dutch, or Flemish draught horse, for 

 it is a good roadster, carriage, and 

 wagon horse. 



The Clydesdale (Fig. 4) is the best 



F,n- 4 



English cart-horse, and has much of 

 the qualities of the Norman. It is 

 much lighter than the Suffolk punch ; 

 the chest is broad, shoulder thick and 

 oblique, the back straight and broad. 

 This horse is remarkably true and 

 faithful, with great endurance. It is 

 an admirable plough horse, and often 

 sufficiently lively for the carriage. 



The Conesloga horse of Pennsylva- 

 nia is a good carriage and draught an- 

 imal. 



The heavy English cart and dray 

 horse, although of great power, is not 

 390 



suited to our wants from his extreme 



slowness. 



Among the different varieties of 

 horse, there is nothing equal in beau- 

 ty, liveliness, and docility to the Shet- 

 land pony, of eight and nine and a 

 half hands high. They are frequent- 

 ly used to draw light carriages. The 

 Welsh pony is occasionally a beauti- 

 ful creature. 



" General Management of Horses. — 

 The foal, as soon as it is dropped, 

 should be turned with its dam into a 

 sheltered and good pasture, in which 

 there is a hovel for occasional retreat 

 from the wind and the rain. Some 

 hay or corn, or both, should be al- 

 lowed, if it is early in the season, or 

 the grass has scarcely begun to shoot. 

 There is nothing so detrimental to 

 the colt as insuflicient food. It should 

 be regarded as a fundamental princi- 

 ple in breeding, that if the growth is 

 checked by starvation, beauty, and 

 energy, and stoutness will rarely be 

 displayed in after years. 



" In five or six months, according 

 to the growth of the foal, or the con- 

 venience of the farmer, the weaning 

 may take place. The colt should be 

 removed from his former haunts to 

 some distant rick-yard, or confined 

 to a stable until he becomes a little 

 reconciled to the loss of his dam. 



" In the ensuing spring the break- 

 ing may commence ; a process on 

 which will materially depend the tem- 

 per and the value of the horse, and 

 the pleasure of the rider. The foal 

 should be handled and haltered, and 

 led about by the servant who has the 

 chief care of him, and whose con- 

 duct towards him should always be 

 kind. ' The principle,' says the au- 

 thor of ' The Horse,' ' on which the 

 after usefulness of the animal is 

 founded, is early attachment to and 

 confidence in man, and obedience, 

 resulting principally from these.' 



" With regard to the racing colt, 

 the processes of breaking and train- 

 ing are injuriously and cruelly com- 

 pleted in the second year, and thou- 

 sands of horses are irreparably in- 

 jured by this early exaction of labour 

 and speed ; but in the hunter, the 



