694 



The Clydesdale. 



rNov., 



l_ 7 



heads, but not carrying much hair on the legs and altogether 

 minus the modern "spat "as it is called — the fringe of hair 

 spread over the hoof-heads — and giving the impression of great 

 obliqueness of pastern joint and fetlock. 



During the dominance of the " Euptured Horse " (153) and 

 his seven sons — a heavier, more massive, and more lorrv-like 

 type was fancied and bred. The soundness of the feet and the 

 open hoof-head were insisted on, but there was more hair on 

 the legs, the obliqueness of the pasterns was not so much 

 insisted on, and on the whole the horse fancied was decidedly 

 a " big " horse. 



In the early sixties came the demand for better action and 

 greater gaiety, of carriage and movement. The dominant in- 

 fluence in creating this demand was Sir Walter Scott 797 

 which won supreme honours at the Royal International Show 

 at Battersea in 1862. This type and the demand for style and 

 action continued to maintain an ascendancy all through the 

 long career of Prince of Wales 673 (1866-1888), a grandson of 

 Sir Walter Scott 797. 



In 1872 one of the greatest sires the breed has ever known, 

 Darnley 222 (1872-1886), was foaled at Keir. His dam and 

 the dam of Prince of Wales 673 were both celebrated showyard 

 mares, and both were by Samson 741, one of the most im- 

 pressive of Clydesdale sires. The produce of Prince of Wales 

 673 and Darnley 222 blended well, in so far as producing show- 

 yard winners is concerned, but a general lack of size and 

 weight was noticeable. The orthodox blend was Prince of 

 Wales and a Darnley filly, and for many a day Prince of Albion 

 6178, bred on these lines, held the record, having been sold 

 when a two-year-old stallion for £3,000. Another, Prince 

 Alexander 8899, bred on similar lines, held the record for a 

 foal, having been sold for £1,200. He was champion at the 

 Highland and Agricultural Society's Show at Dundee, in 1890, 

 when a yearling colt, beating amongst others Prince of Albion 

 6178. What this blend demonstrated was the incomparable 

 merit of daughters of Darnley 222 as dams of prize stock. 



Yet something almost akin to accident demonstrated that the 

 influence of Darnley was to be much greater through his sons. 

 This was seen when his grandson Sir Everard 5353 appeared. 

 His sire was Top Gallant 1850 (1877-1886) a big son of Darnley 

 with incomparable feet, and his dam was by a son of Prince 

 of Wales 673. Sir Everard proved a most valuable sire. He 

 was himself a weighty, big horse, and exhibited the balance of 



