THE DIFFERENT BREEDS. I/ 



THE FRENCH COACH 



horses are a combination of power, endurance and elegance 

 that represents the outcome of centuries of government pro- 

 tection, and the careful breeding of the best horses obtainable, 

 controlled by the best minds trained for the purpose and sup- 

 ported by unlimited means. No other civilized nation has 

 ever taken the uninterrupted interest in the improvement of 

 the equine race that France has evinced. As early as the 

 feudal ages her stock of horses had a far-reaching fame, due 

 to the individual necessity of the knight. As the government 

 became more centralized, the powers of State became respon- 

 sible for the production of a higher class of horses for military 

 protection and equipment. As early as 1690, statistics prove 

 France to have had 1600 horses in her federal studs. A 

 century later this number had increased to 3239 stallions 

 that sired 55,000 living colts. From 1815 to 1833 France 

 bought 1902 stallions for public service, and of these 223 

 came from Arabia and other foreign countries. The re- 

 mainder were selections principally within her own borders. 

 In 1833 a royal stud-book was established, and since then 

 the improvement in horses has been greater than ever. The 

 Government has kept one central object constantly in view 

 to encourage the people by every possible means to a higher 

 standard of breeding, and at the same time to furnish them 

 the means by which to accomplish this purpose, by introdu- 

 cing in every locality the finest of the different breeds and 

 types, which are offered for service to owners of choice mares 

 at nominal fees. The animals mentioned are not all owned 

 by the Government, but many are owned by individuals, and 

 having been inspected and approved by the authorized offi- 

 cials, are employed at 300 to 3000 francs per annum, and 

 others still, though not salaried, are recommended govern- 

 mentally as worthy of public patronage. To prevent the use 



