29 



or a few rides to market, compared with the differ- 

 ence between a race of good and of ordinary horses?" 



Nimrod's letter to the Sporting Magazine for 

 September, 1827, again, says:— "Mr. Mason also 

 breeds some valuable horses, and amongst others he 

 showed us a very fine three-year-old colt of the true 

 Cleveland bay breed, which he intended using as a 

 stud horse. He was upwards of 16 hands, with 

 remarkably good legs ; and, barring his head, which 

 was coarse, was very handsome. I believe this breed 

 was much sought after by the heroes of old. 

 Doubtless, from their hardihood and activity, there 

 is no species so calculated for agricultural purposes 

 as Cleveland Bays ; and good hunters to any weight 

 are bred frorn the second cross with the Eng-lish 

 racehorse and a Cleveland mare." 



It will be observed that high knee and good 

 all-round action is the general characteristic of 

 the draught race, particularly in the Shire and 

 Clydesdale breeds. I do not mean the massive 

 stallions of these breeds fit only to be stud horses 

 for begetting animals like to themselves. I allude to 

 many Shire and Clydesdale stallions, such as have 

 been before the public. 



At the Glasgow shows of Clydesdale stallions I 

 have seen many horses with the true action of the 

 Norfolk trotter. I have in my mind's eye also 

 several Shire stallions, such as " Norfolk Wonder," 

 exhibited at the London Show 1880; "Cromwell," 

 in 1882 ; " Champion " (Stattens), a winner at many 



