74 A I-IISTOBY OF THE PERCHERON HORSE 



The Government Stud.— It was not until the nine- 

 teenth century was well on its course that the French 

 government stud known as the Haras du Pin began 

 to interest itself in draft stallions. An examination 

 of the documents shows that in the purchases made 

 for the national haras from 1765 to 1789 Norman and 

 English blood greatly predominated. There were 

 many Poitevins, a few Vimeux and Limousins, some 

 Spanish, and but one or two Arabian stallions bought 

 during this period. In fact, the documents of the 

 Haras du Pin show that very few stallions of the 

 Arabian breed have ever been kept there. At one 

 time there was a fair number of Barbs,* but one 

 rarely finds the word "Arab." The breed of every 

 stallion used is given, almost without exception. Be- 

 fore the dates mentioned, Danish, Cotentin and 

 Italian stallions had been greatly in vogue. All 

 these were used almost exclusively on the mares in 

 the Merlerault district adjacent to Normandy. The 

 government was chiefly concerned in encouraging the 

 production of cavalry horses. 



First Draft Stallions at the Haras du Pin.— We 



shall now give the record of the breed at the Haras 

 du Pin from the time the first draft stallions were 

 introduced. 



*The type of horse known as the Barb derives its name from the 

 ancient Barbary states of North Africa adjacent to the Mediterranean 

 coast, including: Morocco, Algeria, Tunis, etc. While the type has 

 undergone more or less change, quite a number of the French colonial 

 cavalry troops engaged in the great European war are mounted on 

 horses of Barb type. As breeding horses the stallions are reputed to 

 sire larger colts when crossed with other breeds than when mated with 

 mares of their own blood. 



