Report on the Exhibition af Live-Stock at Neiocastle. 509 
horses were paraded daily after Monday, and it was gratifying 
to find so much kindly interest manifested alike in the horses 
themselves, and in the important and well-designed movement 
which was recalled by their presence. There has been but one 
opinion expressed as to the prudence of the step which the 
Society took in offering these premiums to Thoroughbred 
Sires — all commend it heartily, and hope that the movement 
may by degrees assume a wider scope. The horses too were 
well thought of, although it would be going too far to say that 
there were no critics about. 
The Draught Horses formed the chief feature in the equine 
department. Shires and Clydesdales contended with each other 
for pre-eminence, and of both there were several excellent 
specimens. A few good Suffolks also appeared, while in the 
Classes confined to Agricultural Horses other than Shires 
Clydesdales or Suffolks, there were two or three animals of 
surpassing merit. The great variety in our draught horses has 
often excited surprise and been commented upon. It has been 
said that since a draught horse is a draught horse all the world 
over, with similar work to perform, there should be but little 
variation in the type and method of its build. Wide differ- 
ences in size are intelligible and desirable, but it is not un- 
reasonable to say that theoretically there should be but little 
diversity in type, only as much as would correspond with the 
variety in the work which draught horses have to accomplish. 
By degrees the Shire and Clydesdale breeds are approaching 
each other in form and general attributes. And every move- 
ment which tends to facilitate the assimilation of these two 
valuable races, and to bring them into agreement with one well- 
defined and recognized type, should have hearty encouragement. 
Both breeds would be benefited, — the Clydesdale would gain 
in weight, and the Shire in activity, length of pastern and 
quality of bone. Evidently opinion is firmly set against a free 
interchange of blood ; but without desiring to raise that delicate 
question, we would at least venture to suggest that much advan- 
tage would be gained by a free and friendly exchange of idea 
and purpose amongst breeders of Shires and Clydesdales, as 
indeed amongst breeders of all kinds of live-stock. 
The divergence of type was seen most clearly in the " Agri- 
cultural Classes," for there the big, powerful Shire and the 
smaller but active and clean flat-boned Clydesdale- — Shire and 
Clydesdale in all but pedigree — were brought into close contact. 
The Clydesdale type was most in favour with the Judges, and 
so it carried the palm, leaving out in the cold some very noted 
winners in other important English Showyards. 
Theoretically we would say that all horses bred for draught 
