LIGHT DRAUGHT HORSES. 117 



as a whole, tjiere enters by crossment, re-crossment and by 

 special selection, nearly every known breed or species of 

 European horse, including the original Spanish stock implanted 

 in the South in the seventeenth century, the English well-bred 

 importations of Kentucky, horses from the Netherlands to New 

 Amsterdam originally, Canadians of French origin in early times, 

 Clydesdales, Shires, Suffolk Punches, English Thorough-breds, 

 Hackneys, Bretons, Belgians, Oldenburghs, and more recently 

 and in considerable numbers the Percherons. Certain breeds 

 have been specialised, notably the " Standard Bred " trotter, 

 the progenitor of which was an English Thoroughbred 

 " Messenger," though the more immediate pater familias was 

 a horse named " Eysdyk's Hambletonian " foaled in 1849 and 

 reputed to be the father of 1300 foals. As other countries, the 

 United States maintains its Horse Breeding Associations with 

 their Stud Books, as for instance, The American Clydesdale 

 Association at Chicago, the American Percheron Society, the 

 American Saddle Horse Beeeder Association, and others. I 

 mention the above to show as briefly as I can what the 

 generality of American horses are like, for as replacement of 

 casualties they came very prominently into the War, both the 

 British and French Governments having purchased large 

 numbers. 



Provided our British ideas as to type of light draught horses 

 suitable for Artillery and other Army draught purposes are 

 strictly adhered to, that is to say, if animals are compact, with 

 good stout backs and quarters, the American horse will show as 

 good a record in war as any other. He has already proved his 

 merit as a general utility horse in peace time. , His shoulder is 

 as a rule very good. And in a matter of backs and quarters in 

 purchasing, perhaps I may be permitted by way of divergence 

 to relate two little circumstances of an instructive nature. An 

 old Artillery friend with whom I was associated for two years 

 in the purchase of Australian Remounts in Calcutta, never once 

 omitted to stand up to the horse's shoulder and look over his 

 back as to breadth and stoutness. It was his strong point in 

 purchase. The horses of one particular shipper invariably had 

 stout round quarters. His animals could be picked out quite 

 feasily without referring to his- distinctive brand. The shipper 



