1905 - 6 .] Francis H. A. Marshall on the Horse in Norway. 27 
•quarters (157 centimetres) high,* are usually of brown or dark- 
brown colour, and are distinguished by their full, round forms ; 
pointed, shapely, and upright ears ; expressive physiognomy ; 
compact bone substance and firm muscles ; broad and strong knee 
and hock joints; sinewy legs, and thick, hard and tough 110018 .” 
The chief defect is the “peculiarly short and unbending neck.” 
“This cannot be considered objectionable in the case of working 
horses, but for the better class of carriage horses, and especially 
for riding horses (for all of which purposes the Gudbrandsdal 
is used), this short and thick neck is an undoubted defect.” 
Lindeqvist regarded the Norfolk horse as representing the ideal 
which the Gudbrandsdal should emulate, but to which, however, 
it has never attained. 
Roller’s description, published in 1886, is very similar. 
The Gudbrandsdal horse belongs especially to the Hedemarken 
and Christiania amts, its breeding ground being the great valley 
from which it takes its name. Those from the lower parts are 
sometimes known as Doleheste, and those from the upper as 
Nordheste. The latter are described in the Gudbrandsdal stud- 
book, the first volume of which was published in 1902, as being 
the finer and the most sure-footed. Gudbrandsdal horses are 
bred also to a greater or less extent throughout all the south- 
eastern provinces, as well as in the Trondhjem’s amt and some 
•other places on the west coast. The attempt to divide Gud- 
brandsdal horses into two varieties has in recent years been 
practically ignored, for the large, heavy, heavy-legged Dolehest 
has gained the victory everywhere over the lighter breed, so that 
the former at the present day may be regarded as the typical 
representative of the Gudbrandsdal race. 
In former times Gudbrandsdalen was practically one huge stud. 
In 1729, according to Hiorthpy, there were 157 stallions and 1563 
mares. The stallions used to fight for the possession of the mares, 
whom they also defended from wolves or other enemies. It 
appears, therefore, that formerly the horses were subjected to 
rigorous natural and sexual selection. Pontoppidan says : “ The 
Norwegian stallion shows much courage in fighting wolves and 
* The height is measured in Norway by tape measure, from over the 
withers to the hoof. 
