36 A HISTORY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE 



state that the gray color has been obtained by liberal 

 crossings with the Boulonnais; many have hinted 

 that Flemish blood has entered into its malce-up. 

 Some writers tells us that the old Bourbonnais horse 

 has played a prominent part in the evolution of the 

 Percheron; others hint of a possible Spanish source. 

 It has even been asserted that the black color which 

 became popular about 1880 was due to Nivernais 

 blood, while still others have exaggerated the use of 

 Picardy mares, introduced to a small extent ne:ir 

 Montdoubleau near the beginning of the nineteenth 

 century, proclaiming them the progenitors of the 

 heavy Percheron type. And last, but by no means 

 least, there is the commonly accepted teaching that 

 the Percheron is of Oriental origin and that even as 

 late as the nineteenth century his latter-day excel- 

 lence, as well as his predominating color, is to be 

 ascribed to the powerful influence of two Arabian 

 stallions from the government haras at Le Pin! 



It would be idle to discuss all these in detail. Tra- 

 ditions are anybody's creation. Legendary tales 

 must pass at their own value. Authentic French 

 government records, however, cannot well be got 

 around. We shall present some that have apparently 

 been heretofore overlooked. 



The Saracenic Rout. — Historians affirm that on 

 the day in which Charles Martel, a king of Old 

 France, met and overcame the Moslem host of Ab- 

 derame upon the field of battle between Tours and 

 Poitiers 300,000 Saracens were slaughtered. The 

 fate of Christendom was at stake. This was A. D. 



