HORSES OF LUXURY. 837 



Origin. The finest small coach-horses come from England and 

 Normandy ; the latter are produced in Merlerault (Orne) ; the Han- 

 overian, the Mecklenburg, and the Dutch occupy a second rank. 



FIG. 338. Small coach-horse. 



Shang-Hai', half-thoroughbred Anglo-Norman. Grand prize at the horse exposition of 1868. 

 (Reproduced from a photograph belonging to M. Delton.) 



Price. This horse is necessarily inferior in value to that of the 

 large coach-horse. In the first place, he is smaller ; again, his mating 

 need not be taken so much into consideration, since he is oftener driven 

 single ; finally, when driven double, he is mated more easily, because 

 there are more from which to choose and less to be exacted. 



Besides, his price is subject to the same variations, inherent princi- 

 pally to the size, conformation, breeding, coat, and brilliancy of the 

 gaits. It varies from $500 to $1200. The pair has an average value 

 of from $1400 to $1600; exceptionally, from $2000 to $2400 



B. Saddle-Horses. 



All horses of this category may be utilized for the service of the 

 saddle , some exclusively, others accessorily, they being fitted for a 

 double purpose. If we have joined these latter to the former, it is 

 as much to avoid making a division as to call attention to the fact, 

 that they are harnessed perhaps less often than they are mounted. 



