HEAVY DRAUGHT. 



41 



fens of Lincolnshire, and few of them are less than seventeen hands high 

 at two and a half years old. Neither the soil, nor the prodnce of the soil, 

 is better than in other counties ; on the contrary, much of the lower part 

 of Lincolnshire is a cold, hungry clay. The true explanation of the matter 

 is, that there are certain situations better suited than others to different 

 kinds of farming, and the breeding of different animals ; and that not 

 altogether depending on richness of soil or pasture. The principal art 

 of the farmer is, to find out what will best suit his soil, and the produce 

 of it. 



A dray-horse should have a broad breast, and thick and upright 

 shouldei's, (the more upright the collar stands on him the better;) a low 

 forehand, deep and round barrel, loins broad and high, ample quarters, 

 thick fore-arms and thighs, short legs, round hoofs, broad at the heels, 

 and soles not too flat. The great fault of the large dray-horse is, his 

 slowness. This is so much in the breed, that even the discipline of the 

 ploughman, who would be better pleased to get through an additional rood 

 in the day, cannot permanently quicken him. Surely the breeder might 

 obviate this. Let a dray-mare be selected, as perfect as can be obtained. 

 Let her be put to the strongest, largest, most compact, thorough-bred 

 horse. If the produce be a filly, let her be covered by a superior dray- 

 horse, and the result of this cross, if a colt, will be precisely the animal 

 required to breed from. 



The largest of this heavy breed of black horses are used as dray-horse!^. 

 The next in size are sold as waggon-horses ; and a smaller variety, and 

 with more blood, constitutes a considerable part of our cavalry, and is 

 likewise devoted to undertaker's work. 



All our heavy draught horses, and some even of the lighter kind, have 

 been lately much crossed by the Flanders breed, and with evident improve- 

 ment. Little has been lost in depth and bulk of carcase ; but the fore-hand 

 has been raised, the legs have been flattened and deepened, and very much 

 has been gained in activity. The slow heavy black, with his two miles and 

 a half an hour, has been changed into a lighter, but yet exceedingly 

 powerful horse, who will step foin* miles in the same time, with perfect 

 ease, and has considerably more endurance. 



THE DRAY HORSE. 



