42 THE HORSE. 



This cut contains the portrait of a favourite dray-horse belonging to 

 Messrs. Meux, and painted by Mr. Ward, R. A., to whose portfolio we 

 hope frequently to have recourse. It is the Suffolk crossed, although 

 not so deeply as some, with the Flanders. 



This is the very system, as we shall presently describe, which has 

 been adopted with such success in the blood-horse, and has made the 

 English racer and hunter, and the English horse generally, what it is. 

 As the racer is principally or purely of Eastern origin, so has the EngHsh 

 draun-ht horse sprung chiefly from Flemish blood, and to that blood the agri- 

 culturist has recourse for the perfection of the breed. For the dray, the spirit 

 waggon, and not too heavy loads, and for road- work generally, a cross with 

 the" Flanders will be advantageous ; but if, in London, the enormous 

 heavy horse must be used in the coal-waggon, or the heavier load of the 

 wharf, we must leave our midland black, with all his unwieldly bulk, 

 untouched. 



As an ordinary beast of lighter draught, and particularly in the neigh- 

 bourhood of London, the worn out hackney and the refuse of the coach, and 

 even of the hackney-coach is used. In the hay-markets of St. James's and 

 Whitechapel are continually seen wretched teams, which would disgrace 

 the poorest district of the poorest country. The small farmer in the vici- 

 nity of the metropolis, himself strangely inferior to the small farmer else- 

 where, has too easy access to Smith held, that sink of cruelty. They who 

 are unacquainted with this part of the country, would scarcely think it 

 possible, that on the forests and commons within a few miles of London, 

 as many ragged, wild, mongrel horses are to be found, as in any district 

 of the United Kingdom, and a good horse is scarcely by any chance bred 

 there. 



CAVALRY HORSE. 



This is the proper place to speak of the cavalry horse. That noble animal 

 whose varieties we are describing, so admirably adapted to contribute to 

 our pleasure and our use, was at a very early age perverted to the destruc- 

 tive purposes of war ; and, as if he had been destined to the murderous 

 business, seemed to exult and triumph in the work of death. 



A sacred writer, more than three thousand years ago, gives us a sublime 

 account of the manner in which the horse, at that time, as at present, en- 

 tered into the spirit of the battle (Job xxxix. 19 et seq.) " Hast thou given 

 the horse strength? hast thou clothed his neck with thunder? Canst 

 thou make him afraid as a grasshopper ? The glory of his nostrils is 

 terrible. He paweth in the valley, and rejoiceth in his strength ; he 

 goeth on to meet the armed men. He mocketh at fear and is not 

 affrighted; neither turneth he back from the sword. The quiver rattleth 

 against him, the glittering spear and the shield. He swalloweth the ground 

 with fierceness and rage. He saith among the trumpets Ha I ha ! He 

 smelleth the battle afar off, the thunder of the captains and the shouting." 



The cavalry horses contain a different proportion of blood, according to 

 the nature of the service required, or the caprice of the commanding 

 officer. Those of the household troops are from half to three-fourths 

 bred. Some of the lighter regiments have more blood in them. Our 

 cavalry horses were formerly large and heavy. To his imposing size was 

 added action as imposing. Tlie horse was trained to a peculiar, and grand 

 and beautiful method of going ; but he was often found deficient in real 



