THE GERMAN COACH HORSE 159 



increases and the quality decreases it is the rule for the 

 action to decrease also. 



Use of the German Coach horse. — In the German Em- 

 pire this is the horse-of-all-work. At home this breed is 

 called on to do saddle work, the light as well as the heavy 

 carriage work, and the draft work. In America the Ger- 

 man Coach horse differs from other coach horses in at 

 least two respects : First, there has never been any at- 

 tempt to breed or train them to speed at the trot, and, 

 second, some strains are decidedly heavier than the other 

 coach horses and for this reason are not so active, though 

 the lighter types make fair heavy-harness horses. In this 

 country the German Coach horse has been used to. some 

 extent in crossing on common mares, but with varying 

 success, and for this reason the breed is not so popular 

 in cross-breeding as either the Hackney or the French 

 Coach. 



Distribution of the German Coach horse. — This breed 

 is found in many countries throughout Europe, Eastern 

 Asia, South Africa and both North and South America. 

 In Canada, it is perhaps most popular in the Northwest. 

 In the United States it is most popular in the Central 

 States, particularly in Indiana, Illinois and Iowa, but is 

 found in many parts of the »country. 



Organizations and records. — In Germany the breeders of 

 each of the more important types, notably the East Prus- 

 sian, Hanoverian, Holstein, Oldenburg, East Friesland 

 and Schleswig, have organized associations .and estab- 

 lished stud books with a view of promoting the various 

 types or breeds as they are known in Germany. The 

 German, Hanoverian and Oldenburg Coach Horse Asso- 

 ciation of America was organized in Illinois in 1892 and 

 a stud book established. Later the Oldenburg Coach 

 Horse Association was organized, also in Illinois, and a 

 stud book started. In this country there is much con- 

 fusion in the public mind as to the various types of Ger- 

 man Coach horses, due, perhaps, to the consolidation of 



