84 THE HORSE, ASS, AND MULE 



Very soon after the organization of this association came the 

 Oldenburg Coach Horse Association, which was also incorporated 

 in Illinois. Both of these organizations still exist, though just 

 why they should is not clear. So far as the American public is 

 aware, the various coach horses brought to America from Ger- 

 many are exhibited here as the German Coach breed, whether 

 Oldenburg, Hanoverian, or otherwise. Leading importers who 

 advertise, designate their horses as " Oldenburg, German Coach," 

 or "German, Hanoverian, and Oldenburg Coach." This differ- 

 ence of title may be accounted for in part by the variety of type. 

 This apparent confusion of names in America, the advocates of the 

 breed or breeds would do well to clarify in some permanent way. 



Characteristics of the German Coach horse. In height the 

 breed ranges from i6 to i6|- hands, and in weight from 1350 to 

 1450 pounds. The color does not vary greatly, being almost exclu- 

 sively bay, brown, or black. The head is fairly typical of the 

 coachers, the neck being long and arched, the shoulders well 

 placed, and the withers prominent. The body of the German 

 Coach is somewhat larger than that of the French Coach, and the 

 croup is high and the tail well placed. The legs show considerable 

 length compared with the Hackney, while the feet are excellent. 

 On the basis of many specimens brought to this country, seen 

 by the writer, the German Coach varies materially in size and 

 quality. Coarseness is not uncommon, as seen in large heads 

 and joints with more or less largeness of bone. In action there 

 is a wide difference of merit, and, from the coach-horse point of 

 view, frequent deficiency. A superior folding of knee and flexing 

 of hock, with desirable activity, is not a prevailing attribute of 

 American specimens of the breed. This contrast in style and 

 action will be clearly brought out by visiting both German Coach 

 and Hackney stables, and studying the movements of numerous 

 horses of each breed. 



Cross-bred or grade German Coach horses are now becoming 

 more common than formerly in this country. Some of these, 

 the product from American mares, are very good, while others 

 lack quality and finish. When used on coarse mares a stallion 

 of the breed will not be likely to produce satisfactory offspring. 

 Used on the finer sort of mare of trotting ancestry better returns 



