THE FRENCH COACH HORSE 145 



even stallions of American breeding have been used. 



Good examples of the varied sources from which the 

 French Coach sprang are exhibited in the stallions Niger, 

 Tigris, Aemulus, Conquerant and Young Rattler, all of 

 which were famous in the studs of France. Niger, born 

 in 1869, was sired by Norfolk Phenomenon, and out of 

 Miss Bell, a half-blood American mare ; Tigris traces in 

 direct male line to the English Thoroughbred, The Heir 

 of Linne, imported to the stud at Tarbes, in 1859; 

 Aemulus, born in 1871, was sired by Mambrino Paymas- 

 ter, and out of Black Bess, a Morgan mare, thus combin- 

 ing the Mambrino and Morgan families of American 

 trotters; Conquerant traces through both sire and dam 

 to English stock; and Young Rattler, born in England, 

 served the stud in Normandy from 1820 to 1834. After 

 the breed became established fewer animals were im- 

 ported and in recent years it is claimed that the breeding 

 has been confined to French animals entirely. The 

 restriction was promoted by the establishment of a stud 

 book. This was designated "The French Stud Book : A 

 Register of Demi-Sang Horses," and was established by 

 royal decree in 1833, for the preservation of pedigrees ; the 

 first volume of which appeared in 1891, containing 3,219 

 stallions and 1,445 mares, registered between 1840 and 

 1890. 



French methods for improving the horse. — Since the 

 establishment of the "Administration des Haras" during 

 the reign of Louis XIV, the French government has made 

 systematic efforts to promote the horse-breeding industry 

 and to improve the horses of France. As early as 1690 

 the government owned 1,600 stallions, classed as either 

 "royal" or "approved." Notwithstanding the political 

 disturbance and war the number of government horses 

 increased, and in 1789 there were over 3,000 approved and 

 government stallions in France, which served about 

 115,000 mares. The government continued to purchase 

 stallions for its studs, and from 1815 to 1830 imported 



