LIGHT DRAUGHT HORSES. 113 



of animal. It is based more or less on the comparatively easy 

 times of peace, and work on level roads. War, however, upsets 

 all fine calculations, and it is the ability to weather the varying 

 vicissitudes of campaign, and to maintain energy under trying 

 conditions and adverse circumstances that form the chief 

 desiderata of a draught horse. 



In this connection a study of the carefully thought out 

 Tables of Transport with details of vehicles and weights to be 

 carried, given in our Field Service Pocket Book, is most 

 instructive. 



The heaviest wastage and the greatest demand during the 

 late War related to light draught horses, and twenty of this 

 class were purchased to one of all the other classes put together. 

 It is really marvellous how the supply of suitable animals was 

 maintained, because in recent years the production of this type 

 of animal has been influenced by the substitution of mechanical 

 means for trams, 'busses, and for many commercial and trade 

 pursuits. Take for instance the London General Omnibus 

 Company in 1903 with a stud of 18,000 horses, the Eoad Car 

 Company 5,000, Tillings 7,000, and the thousands upon 

 thousands of tram horses in all parts of the world, each animal 

 probably requiring renewal every four or five years. All are 

 now conspicuous by their absence, and it is a regrettable 

 absence of animals, hard, inured to work, and specially suited 

 thereby for draught purposes of war. It does not pay to breed 

 them, at least in many countries, for they are not altogether an 

 agricultural type of horse. We very soon touched bed-rock in 

 this class of horse in the United Kingdom, and purchase 

 elsewhere was resorted to. 



In speaking of British horses it is necessary to point out that 

 horses are more commonly classed by categories of Service than 

 by Eaces. For instance we speak of Saddle horses and draught 

 horses, and furthermore they are grouped into race horses, 

 hunters, hacks, carriage horses, van horses, 'bus horses, coach 

 horses, farm horses, and so on. It is only in respect to Heavy 

 breed, Thoroughbreds, Hackneys, Cleveland Bays, Yorkshire 

 Coach horses, or whenever Stud books are maintained, that 

 allusion is made to particular breeds or races. We differ con, 

 siderably in this respect from other countries, as for instance- 



