MODERN FARRIER. l65 



95. The Draught-horse. 



Great improvements have been made in this use- 

 ful breed of horses. The great, unweildy black 

 horse, with a large sluggish head, a long fore-end, 

 long back, and long thick hairy legs, has nearly dis- 

 appeared, and is now succeeded by an animal which 

 unites the advantages of strength and docility with 

 those of form, activity, and vigour. Farmers are 

 now convinced that strength and activity, rather 

 than height and weight, are the more essential pro- 

 perties of draught-horses. 



The draught-horse ought to have a large broad 

 head, because horses of this shaped head are less 

 subject than others to diseases of the eyes. The 

 ears shovdd be small, straight, and upright ; the nos- 

 trils large and open, that he may breathe with the 

 more freedom. A horse w^th a full and bold eye 

 always promises well. On the other hand, a sunk 

 eye and an elevated brow are bad signs. The horse 

 is esteemed fittest for this purpose also, that has a 

 large and round buttock, which neither sinks down 

 nor cuts. He must have a fii'm and strong tail, and 

 the dock must be thick and well furnished with 

 hair, and placed neither very high nor very low. 

 The legs should be rather flat and broad than round ; 

 the roundness of the leg being a fault in a horse 

 destined to labour that will soon ruin him. As to 

 the hinder legs, the thighs should be fleshy and 

 long, and the whole muscle which shov.-s itself on 

 the outside of the thigh should be large and very 

 thick. No country can bring a parallel to the size 

 and strength of our horses destined for the draught. 

 In London there are instances of single horses that 

 are able to draw on a plain, for a small space, the 

 weight of three tons, and which can with ease, and 

 for continuance, draw half that weight. The pack- 

 horses of Yorkshire usually carr}^ a burden of 420 

 lb. over the highest hills of the north, as well as the 



