604 THE HORSE. 



in truth, many of our superior curricle and four-in-hand 

 horses are now nearly thoroughbred. 



A variety of cream-coloured Horses is found in Germany 

 suited for the coach. They are valued chiefly for purposes 

 of parade and pomp. The cream-coloured breed of Hanover 

 was brought to England by George II., and is reared exclu- 

 sively for the Royal stud. The Horses are used only on state 

 occasions : they are of noble aspect, but of a soft tempera- 

 ment, and unfit for active exercise. 



The term HACKNEY, in common use, from the French 

 1 Haquenee? is employed to denote a kind of Horse fitted 

 for general services ; and is, therefore, understood to ex- 

 clude the horses of the highest breeding, as the Thorough- 

 bred Horse and Hunter ; and there is further associated 

 with the idea of a hackney, an animal of moderate size, 

 not exceeding fifteen hands, and possessing action, strength, 

 and temper. The hackneys of the present day are of lighter 

 form than those formerly sought for, and there is greater 

 difficulty in obtaining them to suit the services required, 

 from our present mixed varieties of half-bred horses, than 

 when horsemen were contented with the older class of hack- 

 neys of stouter form but inferior breeding. In truth, there 

 are few countries in which it is more difficult to obtain what 

 may be termed a Hackney than England. The Horses of 

 the Ukraine, and generally of the Cossacks of the Don, would 

 be invaluable in this country for the purposes for which the 

 hackney is valued. The PALFREY of the middle ages was a 

 Horse of the lighter kind, instructed in the paces of the 

 manege. The most esteemed of the older Palfreys were the 

 Spanish Jennets. At present the term Palfrey is not in 

 popular use. It may refer, however, to the smaller class of 

 Horses of high breeding, suited especially for ladies. 



The CAVALRY HORSE is selected from the mixed races of 

 the country, and has been subjected to the changes which all 

 the others have undergone. He has become lighter and 

 higher bred, insomuch, that the horses of various regiments 



