THE GALLOWAY. 29 



The Heavy Black Horse of Lincolnshire is another distinct 

 variety, bred in all the midland counties from Lincoln to Staf- 

 fordshire. They are, in fact, only a smaller and lighter style 

 of dray-horse, improved by admixture of Flanders, and, per- 

 haps, of a small percentage of thorongh-blood. They are still 

 immense animals, standing seventeen hands high, with better 

 forehands, finer withers, and flatter and deeper legs than the 

 dray-horse. The improvement in their blood has increased 

 their pace from two and a half to about four miles an hour, on 

 a walk, which is their only pace, since they are incapable of 

 raising a trot. They are used for wagon-horses, and for draw- 

 ing heavy teams from the wharves through the streets of Lon- 

 don, and occupy much the same position in England, as is held, 

 here, by the Conestoga horse, which I believe to be in great 

 part, if not entirely, of this blood. 



There was an excellent breed of little horses, varying from 

 thirteen to fourteen hands high, existing in the district of Gal- 

 loway, on the shore of the Solway Frith, in the south of Scot- 

 land, which had their name from the district in which they had 

 their origin. But it is now nearly extinct. 



"There is a tradition," according to Mr. Youatt, "that the 

 breed is of Spanish extraction, some horses having escaped from 

 one of the vessels of the Grand Armada, which was wrecked on 

 the neighboring coast. This district, however, so early as the 

 time of Edward I., supplied that monarch with a great number 

 of horses." 



It is much to be lamented, that this admirable race of ani- 

 mals is almost lost, and where it exists is sorely deteriorated, 

 owing to the non-perception and non-appreciation of it^ peculiar 

 excellences as a roadster and hackney, either to drive or ride ; 

 and to its unsuitability to ordinary tarm work from want of 

 power and size. 



To increase these, and obtain a race more suitable to the 

 purposes of agriculture, the farmers of its native region have 

 crossed it with larger and coarser farm-stallions, which has had 

 the very effect, that may always be looked for, under such cir- 

 cumstances ; the peculiar excellences of the race are lost, and 

 those, which it is desired to ingraft upon it, are not attained. 



It is to be regretted tliat the truly admirable qualities of the 



