46 HOW TO BREED A HORSE. 



teristic fault of which is, to be somewhat flatsided, and not 

 unfrequently too long; excellent loins; a round, flesliy 

 croup; muscular thighs; and, above all, the soundest, 

 most undeniable, flat-boned legs that are to be found in 

 any race of horses not thorough-bred, and the toughest, 

 hardest and most iron-Lke feet that are to be found in any 

 race whatsoever. In fact, immunity from disease of the 

 legs and feet, under the most unfavorable circumstances, — 

 wlien ill-groomed, ill-shod, and subject to every trial and 

 hardship, — appears to be the distinguishing mark of the 

 French Canadian horse. There is no horse, probably, in 

 the known world, to which all ordinary diseases of the 

 foot, and especially that which is known as foot-founders, 

 are so nearly unknown ; and it has been well stated by 

 an intelligent writer, well versed in the peculiarities of 

 this particular race, that " there are numbers of horses in 

 Canada that, under a mass of shaggy hair, never trimmed, 

 and rarely cleaned or dried, possess dry, sinewy legs, on 

 which the severest service never raises a wind-gall." 



In addition to these characteristics, the Canadians are 

 generally distinguishable by their colors, of which the pre- 

 vailing one is black ; and, probably the second, rich dark 

 brown, often dappled with lighter brown on the shoulders 

 and quarters. After these colors come chestnuts of differ- 

 ent shades, but generally running to the sorrels and duns, 

 with manes, tails and legs of lighter color than the body ; 

 and lastly, dark iron-greys with black legs. The last, how- 

 ever, which in Normandy is at the present day, with the 

 single exception of black, the cnnmonest color, is, in Cana 

 da and the United States, the least common. The true 

 Canadians are remarkable for the great volumes of tlieir 

 manes and tails, which are also distinguished by the peci- 

 liar wavy and almost curly texture of the hairs composing 

 them, and for the shaggy coating of their back sinews 



