78 
THE CABINET OF NATURAL HISTORY, 
The German Horse. 
The German Horses are generally large, heavy, and slow. 
The Hungarian may be an exception, being lighter, speedier, 
and giving greater proof of Eastern blood. Every part of the 
continent, however, has been diligently engaged in the im- 
provementof its breed, and the German and Prussian Horses 
are now better proportioned, and have considerable endu- 
rance, but are still deficient in speed. The Prussian, Ger- 
man and the greater part of the French cavalry, are procured 
from Holstein. They are of a dark, glossy bay colour, 
with small heads, large nostrils, and full dark eyes, the fire 
and clearness of which seem to denote the inward spirit of 
the animal. They are beautiful, active, and strong. 
The Swedish, Finland, and Norwegian Horse. 
Of the Swedish Horses, Clarke, in his ‘ Scandinavia,’ 
says, that they are small but beautiful, and remarkable for 
their speed and spirit. Those of Finland he describes as 
yet smaller, not more than twelve hands high, beautifully 
formed, and very fleet. The peasants take them from the 
forests when they are wanted for travellers. Although 
apparently wild, they are under perfect control, and they 
trot along with ease at the rate of twelve miles an hour. 
The following story is told of one of the Norwegian 
Horses. His master had been dining at a neighbouring 
town, and when it was time to return, had exceeded so 
much, that he could not keep a firm seat in his saddle. 
The Horse regulated himself, as well as he could, accord- 
ing to the unsettled motion of his rider, but, happening to 
make a false step, the peasant was thrown, and hung with 
one foot entangled in the stirrup. The Horse immediately 
stopped, and twisting his body in various directions endea- 
voured to extricate his master, but in vain. The man 
was severely hurt, and almost helpless; but the shock had 
brought him to his senses. The Horse looked at him as 
he lay on the ground, and, stooping, laid hold of the brim 
of his hat, and raised his head a little; but the hat coming 
oif, he fell again. The animal then laid hold of the collar 
of his coat, and raised him by it so far from the ground, that 
he was enabled to draw his foot out of the stirrup. After 
resting awhile he regained the saddle, and reached his 
home. Grateful to his preserver, the man did, what every 
good feeling hid him, — he cherished the animal until it 
died of old age. 
Many a farmer owes a considerable debt of gratitude to 
his intelligent and faithful servant, who has taken care of 
him when he was unable to take care of himself, and, possi- 
bly, has preserved his life. Let him repay the debt by 
kinder usage. 
The Iceland Horse. 
There are numerous troops of Horses in this cold and 
inhospitable country, descended, according to Mr. Ander- 
son, from the Norwegian Horse, but, according to Mr. 
Horrebow, being of Scottish origin. They are very small, 
strong, and swift. There are thousands of them in the 
mountains which never enter a stable, but instinct or habit 
has taught them to scrape away the snow, or break the 
ice, in search of their scanty food. A few are usually kept 
in the stable, but when the peasant wants more he catches 
as many as he needs, and shoes them himself, and that 
sometimes with a sheep’s horn. 
The Flemish and Dutch Horse. 
The Flemish and Dutch Horses are large, and strongly 
and beautifully formed. We are indebted to them for 
some of the best blood of our draught Horses, and we still 
have frequent recourse to them for keeping up and improv- 
ing the breed. 
The French Horse. 
France contains numerous breeds of Horses, and consi- 
derable attention has lately been paid to their improve- 
ment. The provinces of Auvergne and Poitou produce 
good ponies and galloways; but the best French Horses 
are bred in Limousin and Normandy. From the former 
district come excellent saddle-horses and hunters; and 
from the latter a stronger species, for the road, the cavalry, 
or the carriage. The Norman Horses are now much 
crossed by English hunters, and occasionally by the tho- 
rough-bred; and the English roadster and light draught 
Horse has not suffered by a mixture with the Norman. 
The Spanish Horse. 
Spain was early celebrated for her breed of Horses. The 
Andalusian charger and the Spanish jennet are familiar to 
all readers of romance. The subjugation of so great a por- 
tion of the peninsula to the Moorish sway, by introducing 
so much of the Barbary blood, mainly contributed to the 
undisputed excellence of the Spanish Horse. One breed, 
long in the limbs, and graceful in all its motions, was the 
favourite war-horse of the knight; while another race, 
carrying the esquire, although inferior in elegance, pos- 
sessed far more strength and endurance. The Spanish 
Horse of the present day is not much unlike the Yorkshire 
half-breed; perhaps with flatter legs and better feet, but far 
inferior figure. 
