46 THE HORSE. 



speed, but not above the averag-e of foreign breeds. They are, 

 however, from their roving habits, in excellent wind, and it is said 

 that a Gaucho has been known to ride one fresh caught nearly a 

 hundred miles without drawing bit. 



THE MUSTANG, OR WILD HOUSE OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Like the wild horses of South America, those of Mexico 

 and California are in all probability descended from Spanish blood, 

 and indeed it is impossible now to discover, with anything like 

 certainty, the source of the Indian Ponies, large herds of which 

 run wild in the northern and north-western parts of this extensive 

 continent. So little do the Americans now know or care about 

 these wild horses, that the late Mr. Herbert, who has treated of 

 the American Horse in two vols, quarto, omits all mention of them, 

 excepting the most cursory allusion to the Mustang as the origin 

 of the Indian Pony, in common with the Canadian horse. I shall, 

 therefore, not weary my readers with extracts from Mr. Catlin's 

 somewhat fanciful writings, but at once proceed to allude to the 

 modern domesticated breeds of horses met with in the United 

 States and Canada. 



According to Mr. Herbert, who seems to have taken great 

 pains to arrive at the truth, " with the one solitary exception of 

 the Norman horse in Canada, no special breeds have ever taken 

 root as such, or been bred, or even attempted to be bred, in them 

 purity, in any part of America. In Canada East the Norman 

 horse, imported by the early settlers, was bred for many generations 

 entirely unmixed ; and, as the general agricultural horse of the 

 province, exists, yet so stunted in size by the cold climate and the 

 rough usage to which he has been subjected for centuries, but in 

 no wise degenerated, for he possesses all the honesty, courage, en- 

 durance, hardihood, soundness of constitution, and characteristic 

 excellence of feet and legs of his progenitor." Besides this native 

 Canadian there are also, among the more active kinds, the Morgan 

 horse, the American trotter, the Narraganset pacer, and the tho- 

 rough-bred descended from English imported horses, with scarcely 

 any admixture of native blood ; and of the agricultural varieties, 

 the Vermont and Conestoga draught-horses, in addition to several 

 others not so easily made out. 



THE INDIAN PONY. 



The Indian Pony, which seldom or never exceeds thirteen 

 hands in height, is remarkable for activity and strength, as com- 

 pared with its size, appearing, like its Scotch congener, to be almost 

 overwhelmed with its rider, whose feet nearly touch the ground, 

 yet moving under its load with freedom. It has a high crest, 

 and a flowing mane and tail, with a proud carriage of the head of 



