414 COLOR, 



Of the black, greater care has been taken. The hea\-y black 

 of Lincolnshire and the midland counties is a noble animal, and 

 would be almost beyond price if he could be rendered more ac 

 tive. The next in size constitute the majority of our wagon- 

 horses, and perhaps our best ; and, on a smaller breed, and to 

 the improvement of which much attention has been devoted, 

 nany of our cavalry are mounted. A few black thorough-bred 

 horses and black hunters are occasionally seen, but the improve- 

 ment of horses of this color has not been studied, except for the 

 purposes that have been mentioned. Their peculiar high action, 

 while not objectionable for draught, and desirable for the parade, 

 would be unbearable in the roadster. Black horses have been 

 said to be more subject to vice, disease, and blindness, than those 

 of any other color. This charge is not true to its full extent ; 

 but there certainly are a great many w;orthless black horses in 

 in every part of the country. 



After all, there is an old saying, that a good horse cannot be 

 a bad color ; and that it is far more necessary to attend to the 

 conformation and points of the animal than to his color. The 

 foregoing observations, however, although they admit of many 

 exceptions, may be useful in guiding to the judicious purchase 

 of the horse.* 



* Note by Mr. Spooner. — Color. — "We do not consider that the size, con- 

 formation, and qualifications of horses depend so much on the color as the 

 text would imply. We have found both good and bad horses of every 

 color, and the only rule we can admit as correct is, that certain colors denote 

 deficient breeding, and therefore such animal is not likely to be so good as 

 he looks, but is probably deficient in bottom or the powers of endurance. 

 These colors are black, which prevails so much with cart-horses, and sorrel, 

 dun, piebald, &a. ; the possessors of which come f(^om the north, and possess 

 no eastern blood. Black horses, unless evidently high bred, are very often 

 soft and sluggish, with breeding insufficient for their work ; the pedigree of 

 the majority of them may be dated from the plough-tail, whatever admix- 

 tures there may have been sincei White hair denotes a thin skin, which is 

 objectionable, when it prevails on the legs of horses, as such animals are 

 more disposed to swelled legs and cracked heels than others. Bay horses 

 with black legs are greatly esteemed, and yet we have known many 

 determined slugs of this hue. Their constitution is, however, almost inva- 

 riably good. Cliestnut is the prevailing color with our race-horses, and con- 

 sequently chestnut horses are generally pretty well bred, and possess the 

 good and bad qualities which obtain most amongst thorough-breds. The 

 Suffolk cart-horse is also distinguished by his light chestnut color ; and it ia 

 no small recommendation to find that this br«ed has, for several years past, 

 carried away the principal prizes at the annual shows of the Koyal Agricul 

 tural Society of England. 



Gray is a very good color, and one which has become very fashionable 

 for carriage and phaeton horses during the present reign. Her Majesty's 

 ponies, as they are still called, although they have increased in height from 

 thirteen to fifteen hands, are beautiful specimens of this color, and -have 

 I'endered the color fashionable for harness purposes. These horse9 have a 



