THE NORWEGIAN HORSE. 51 



boats. During the summer these horses are turned into the forests, where they 

 form themselves into distinct troops, and select certain districts from which they 

 rarely wander. They return of their own accord when the season begins to 

 change, and the forests no longer supply them with food*. 



THE SWEDISH HORSE 

 Is small, but nimble and willing. He is almost entirely fed on bread, com- 

 posed of equal parts of rye and oatmeal. To this is added a considerable quantity 

 of salt, and, if he is about to start on a long journey, a little brandy. " While 

 changing horses we were not a little entertained at the curious group formed by 

 the peasants and their steeds breakfasting together ; both cordially partaking of 

 a large hard rye cake. The horses sometimes belong to three or even more pro- 

 prietors : it is then highly amusing to observe the frequent altercations between 

 them ; each endeavouring to spare his own horse. Their affection for their 

 horses is so great that I have seen them shed tears when they have been driven 

 beyond their strength. The expedition, however, with which these little 

 animals proceed is surprising, when we consider the smallness of their size, 

 which hardly exceeds that of a pony. The road being universally good through- 

 out Sweden, they frequently do not relax from a gallop, from one post-house 

 to another +." 



THE FINLAND HORSES 



Are yet smaller than the Swedes, and not more than twelve hands high. 

 They are beautifully formed and very fleet. They, like the Swedes, are turned 

 into the forests in the summer, and must be fetched thence when they are 

 wanted by the traveller. Although apparently wild, they are under perfect 

 control ; and can trot along with ease at the rate of twelve miles in the hour. 



Fish is much used, both in Finland and Lapland, for the winter food of 

 horses and cattle. 



THE NORWEGIAN HORSE 



Is larger than the Swedish or Finland, but is equally hardy and manageable, 

 and attached to its owner, and its owner to it. The roads in Norway are the 

 reverse of what they are in Sweden : they are rough and almost impassable for 

 carriages, but the sure-footed Norwegian seldom stumbles upon them. Pontop- 

 pidan speaks of their occasional contests with bears and wolves, and chiefly the 

 latter. These occurrences are now more matter of story than of actual fact, but 

 they do sometimes occur at the present day. When the horse perceives any of 

 these animals, and has a mare or foal with him, he puts them behind him, and 

 then furiously attacks his enemy with his fore legs, which he uses so expertly, 

 as generally to prove the conqueror ; but if he turns round in order to strike 

 with his hind legs, the bear closes upon him immediately, and he is lost. 



Of the horses of the islands of Febob, still belonging to the Danish crown, 

 Berenger speaks in terms of much praise. He says that " they are small of 

 growth, but strong, swift, and sure of foot, going over the roughest places with 

 such certainty that a man may more surely rely upon them than trust to his 

 own feet. In Suderoe, one of these islands, they have a lighter and swifter 

 breed than in any of the rest. On their backs the inhabitants pursue the 

 sheep, which are wild in this island ; the pony carries the man over places 

 that would be otherwise inaccessible to him — follows his rider over others — 

 enters into the full spirit of the chase, and even knocks down and holds the 

 prey under his feet until the rider can take possession of it %." 



* Berenger, p. 150. t Sir A. de Capel Brooke's Travels in Sweden. 



J Berenger's History of Horsemanship, p. 149. 



B 2 



