64 FOREIGN MARKETS FOR AMERICAN HORSES. 



by saying that this class of horses have poor knee action, which is 

 absolutely indispensable to the high-class coaching horse. Again, let 

 me remark in this connection, that the more blood (by this is meant 

 thoroughbred blood) the sire and dam possess, the less knee action 

 we can expect in the progeny, as it is a well-known fact among breed- 

 ers of carriage horses that an infusion of thoroughbred blood is 

 always done at the expense of that most important quality — high knee 

 action. Hence it is plain that we can not expect the thoroughbred to 

 contribute much to our coaching breeds. 



HIGH-CLASS CARRIAGE HORSES. 



I have briefly mentioned a few of the classes of horses used in 

 England and have not recommended raising cab horses for export, 

 because they are too cheap — nor the hunter, because at the present 

 time we can not successfully produce him. 



I now come to treat more at length of what is known as high-class 

 coach or carriage horses, which have been only incidentally men- 

 tioned heretofore. 



In my judgment this is the class of horses we should attempt to 

 raise in the United States for export, with the exception of draft 

 horses, as I shall explain hereafter. In forming this opinion I have 

 taken into consideration every condition existing in the United States 

 at the present time. By far the larger number of our mares are what 

 would be called under size, and while it is true that if bred to a fine 

 draft horse they would raise a horse suitable for bus purposes, it is 

 equally true that many of them, if bred to the right kind of coach 

 stallion, will bring a colt that will sell for almost double as much for 

 the carriage. It is hardly to be expected, that with such a high aim in 

 view, we will always meet with success, as there is such a great differ- 

 ence in the mares of the United States that there must, for a long 

 time at least, be a great difference in their progeny. This existing 

 condition, however, is a potent one in prompting me to advise the 

 breeding of carriage horses. If we succeed in producing the high- 

 class, high-acting coach horse of the proper size, we have the best uni- 

 form seller in the world; but failing in this, as we must do in many 

 instances, there are many places for the horses we will raise at greater 

 prices than the bus horses of London can ever bring. 



High-class carriage horses are very scarce and always have brought 

 the highest prices in the general markets of the world. They must 

 remain scarce, from the fact that they are becoming more in demand 

 each day as people become more wealthy and require carriages. The 

 horse I have in mind should be from 16 to 17 hands high, with fine 

 style and high action. There is no danger of getting them too large, 

 if the quality can be maintained, but this will be found most difficult. 



Horses of this type, in order to bring the highest prices for victoria 

 teams, should be 15 hands 1 inch to 15 hands 3 inches; for landau 

 teams, 15 hands 3 inches to 16 hands 1 inch; for barouche teams, 16 



