6o COLOUR OF HORSES. 



saddle work, it is better to buy a gelding, because 

 they are usually a trifle higher in the withers than 

 a mare, and a little lower behind. Still, there are 

 many excellent saddle mares. 



Colour. 



It is an old axiom that a good horse may be any 

 colour, and this is quite true ; but dealers are well 

 enough aware that the colour of a horse often 

 influences its sale, because many purchasers object 

 to certain colours. Grey horses are often objected 

 to on the ground that their hair comes off upon the 

 clothing of the individual, and renders itself easily 

 seen. Whereas, if it be of a darker colour, it is not 

 so noticeable. White horses are rather troublesome 

 to keep clean. On this account they are not so 

 readily saleable. Again, piebald and skewbald 

 horses do not readily find purchasers, owing to 

 their ready recognition. It is generally supposed 

 that light- coloured horses have not the same strength 

 and endurance as the darker ones, but most dun- 

 coloured horses are generally very good workers. 

 The usual colours are light chestnut, dark chestnut, 

 liver chestnut, light bay, dark bay, brown, blackish 

 brown, black, blue roan, strawberry roan, light grey, 

 dark grey, etc. The most popular colours are bay. 



