PERCHEKOX PROTOTYPES 47 



fine conformation, and they are, for the most part, 

 excellent draft horses. In many of the manor houses 

 in the lower Perche there is a tradition that has 

 been handed down for sis centuries to the effect that 

 the beauty of this breed was due primitively to its 

 crossing with the Arab, of which breed good judges 

 find today, in the shape only of certain individuals 

 in The Perche, several characteristic traits. 



"At the time of the Crusades, influenced like 

 others by the religious zeal which, in this period of 

 chivalry, compelled them, as a duty, to arm them- 

 selves Eigainst the infidels, a large number of the 

 Percheron Seigneurs started out for the conquest of 

 Palestine, and stayed for more or less time in the 

 Orient. Several of these valiant knights errant 

 brought back from this far off countiy some Arabian 

 horses of the strain ' kadischi, ' which were employed 

 in the improvement of the native breed. Geoffroy r\". 

 Seigneur of Montdoubleau, was one of the Crusaders 

 who showed the most zeal in propagating this breed. 



"Tradition has left us a pretty good idea of this 

 improved breed, formerly in great demand as coach 

 horses, which for elegance, conformation, energy, 

 style and long service could be compared to the 

 breed known as the Limousine. But, by its crossing 

 with breeds less perfect, it has successively degen- 

 erated, and almost entirely fallen owing to the negli- 

 gence and apathy of the landowners, who have done 

 nothing whatever so far as selecting individuals for 

 breeding purposes is concerned. However, this breed 

 is today in such demand by buyers from the adja- 

 cent departments that it is becoming a branch of 

 commerce of great benefit to the region, and for that 

 reason it is necessary that it should be improved. 



' ' The possession of Algeria by France renders the 

 importation of Arabs of the 'kadischi' strain ex- 

 tremely easy. Assuredly the mixing of this blood 



