CHAP. i. SUFFOLK HORSES. 893 



splendid animals have been exported to Canada, Australia, New 

 Zealand, and other British colonies. 



It is interesting to add that, as pointed out to us by a competent 

 authority, several of the most successful Clydesdale stud-horses have 

 had a considerable infusion of Shire Horse blood in their veins, for 

 example, Prince of Wales (673), and Darnley (222). When the 

 greater substance, deeper ribs, and stronger thighs of the Shire are 

 superadded to the indisputable quality of the Clydesdale, the result 

 is admirable, as is well seen in the case of the Seaham Harbour 

 Clydesdales of the Marquis of Londonderry. 



THE SUFFOLK PUNCH is so denominated from his peculiar shape 

 (figs. 88 and 89), and is a true farm-horse. It is said to have 

 originated from a cross between a French stallion of a breed that has 

 been long celebrated in Normandy and a Suffolk cart-mare. The 

 Suffolk breed has been preserved more pure than many others ; and, 

 being neither handsome enough for a gentleman's carriage, nor weighty 

 enough for a London cart or waggon, it is seldom employed for any 

 other than agricultural labour. The old Suffolk Punch is now rarely 

 to be met with. He was rather a plain-made horse, with large head, 

 coarse muzzle, low fore-hand, straight back, flat side, shoulders too 

 far forward, hind quarters rather high about the hips, deep-bellied and 

 full in the flank, with round legs and short pasterns. 



This is the account which Mr. Culley gives ; and we immediately 

 recognise in this description the horse that could throw his whole 

 weight into the collar, and stand, without shrinking, a long day's work. 



The present breed possesses many of the good qualities of its 

 predecessors, but it has a considerable portion of Yorkshire blood 

 mingling with it, and often an evident cross of the Flemish horse. 



Mr. Cordy S. Wolton, a successful breeder, writes enthusiastically of 

 the breed, in the " Live Stock Journal " : 



" Their activity, combined with an iron constitution, their high 

 courage, combined with docility, and their ' never say die ' at a dead 

 pull, instal them high in the favour of colonists who require horses to 

 move a little quicker in front of the whippletrees than the ponderous 

 Shire. Their legs hard and clean, like so much wire and whipcord ; back 

 and loins fit to carry a house ; feet which will compare with any breed 

 of horses anywhere ; intelligent head, well put on ; colour varying .from 

 the bright golden to the dark mahogany chestnut, sometimes touched 

 with that beautiful metallic tinge which makes the coat flash like bur- 

 nished brass, make up the. tout ensemble which no horseman can fail to 

 admire. The height of a Suffolk stallion would be from 16 to 16*3 

 hands ; girth, 7 ft. 8 in. to 8 ft. 4 in. ; weight, 1,900 to 2,240 Ib. : size 

 below the knee, 10| in. The latter is often made a bone of contention 

 between breeders of Suffolks and others, the latter contending that 

 it is not big enough, forgetting that the bone of a hairy-legged horse 

 looks bigger than it really is, owing to thicker skin and coarser hair ; 

 the Suffolk horse's is a closer made and harder kind of bone, it weighs 

 more and looks less than it really is, and many prefer it to a coarse- 



