LIBRARY
OF THE
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA.
Accession 8 66. .9.0 Class
Main Lib.
LIVE STOCK HANDBOOKS.
Edited by JAMES SINCLAIR, Editor of " Live Stock Journal,'
"Agricultural Gazette" S*c.
No. II.
LIGHT HORSES.
BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT
BY
W. C. A. BLEW, M.A, ; WILLIAM SCARTH DIXON;
DR. GEORGE FLEMING, C.B., F.R.C.V.S. ;
VERO SHAW, B.A. ; ETC.
ZEUDITIOICT.
ILLUSTRATED.
VINTON & COMPANY, LTD.,
9, NEW BRIDGE STREET, LUDGATE CIRCUS, E.G.
18(38
I
Main Lib.
CONTENTS.
PAGE
CHAPTER I. The Thoroughbred Horse ... ... .,- . x
CHAPTER II. The Hackney Horse ... ... ... ... 23
CHAPTER III. Cleveland Bays and Yorkshire Coach Horses ... 51
CHAPTER IV. The Arabian Horse ... ... ... ... 81
CHAPTER V. The American Trotting Horse ... 94
CHAPTER VI. The Hunter ... ... ... ... ... 105
CHAPTER VII. The Hack ... 126
CHAPTER VIII. Ponies ... ... ... ... ... 136
CHAPTER IX. Asses and Mules... ..- ... ... ... 153
CHAPTER X. Management of Light Horses .- .... ... 159
CHAPTER XI. Diseases and Injuries to which Light Horses are Liable 188
86690
ILLUSTRATIONS.
PAGE
Thoroughbred Horse, Orm .. ... ... ...To Face 6
Thoroughbred Mare, Plaisanterie... ... ... ... ,, n
Thoroughbred Stallions, King Herod and Flying Childers ... ,, 17
Thoroughbred Stallion, Ruddigore ... ... ... ,, 21
Hackney Stallion, Danegelt ... ... ... ... ,, 27
Hackney Stallion, M. P.... ... ... ... ... 3 1
Hackney Stallion, General Gordon ... ... ... 37
Hackney Mare, Lady Wilton ... ... ... ,, 43
Hackney Mares ... ... ... ... . ,, 47
Cleveland Bay Stallion, Master Frederick ... ... ... 69
Cleveland Bay Stallion, Sultan ... ... ,, 63
Yorkshire Coaching Stallion, Prince of Wales ... ... ,, 77
Arabian Stallion, Kahalet ... ... ... ... 87
Anglo-Arabian, Khaled ... ... ... ... ... 91
Arabian Stallion, Speed of Thought ... ... ... 93
Thoroughbred Stallion Mambrino... ... ... ,, 95
American Trotter ... ... ... ... ... ,, 103
Group of Hunters ... ... ... ... ... ,, 109
Hunter Mare ... ... ... ... ... ... ,, in
Hunter ... ... .... ... ... ... ,, 115
Hunter Sire ... ... ... ... ... ... ,, 117
Hack Hunter ... ... ... ... ... ... 129
Carriage Horses ... ... ... ... ... ,, 133
Tandem Team... ... , M ... ... ... ,, 135
Pony Mares ... ... ... ... ... ... ,, 144
Pony Stallion, Sir George ... ... ... ... ,, 149
Shetland Pony, Good Friday ... ... ... ... 151
Welsh Pony, Tommy ... .... ... ... ... ,, 152
LIGHT HORSES.
BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
CHAPTER I.
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE.
IT is by no means easy to frame a succinct definition of the
thoroughbred horse. We know that no horse is accepted as
thoroughbred unless he appears duly registered in the Stud
Book, and so, to save trouble, we may take this as the
criterion. The blood horse, however, like the fox-hound, is
after all an animal of composite breed ; that is to say, time
was when he did not exist ; and no horse presenting the
features of the modern English thoroughbred was, at one
period, to be found in England.
To show this conclusively, would be to write in detail the
history of the English horse an unnecessary task, inasmuch
as this subject has already been fully dealt with in many books.
It will, therefore, be sufficient for our present purpose, if we
take the time of King Charles II. as an important landmark,
and briefly trace the history of the English horse up to that
reign, before entering into any sort of disquisition upon what
we now call the thoroughbred horse.
We need spend no time in enquiring what sort of horses
they were which so excited the admiration of Julius Caesar ;
2 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
but they were good enough to induce the Conqueror to take a
good many away with him. When the Romans established
themselves in Britain, they found it expedient to send over a
large body of cavalry to assist in maintaining order, and the
horses of these soldiers were doubtless crossed with the native
stock ; and so the British horse, no matter what it was like,
received its first modification or cross. Whether this cross
improved it or not, is not to the purpose ; we merely note the
fact that it was, so far as known, the first step towards manu-
facturing what we venture to describe as a composite breed,
more especially as what we have generically termed Roman
horses were collected, not only from Italy, but from Gaul and
Spain.
Then, again, it has been said that the time of the Roman
occupation of Britain, saw the first importation of Eastern
blood, as Severus is reported to have raced loonafidz Arabs at
W T etherby, Yorkshire. This story, however, lacks verifica-
tion, and may be passed over without any importance being
attached to it. Rather more trustworthy, perhaps, is the
statement that Hugh Capet, of France, while courting
Ethelwitha, sister of King Athelstan, sent the latter a present of
some German "running horses," partly, no doubt, in honour of
the event which was soon to take place ; and partly by way of
congratulation to the King on his having subdued the rebellious
portions of the Heptarchy. At any rate, whatever may have
been the motive, we are perhaps justified in concluding that
our native horses were crossed with these new comers. This,
it may be noticed, is the first mention of " running horses,"
and the conclusion may be drawn that they were of a lighter
build than our own native steeds, though we are still left in
the dark as to what sort of an animal the German running
horse was. Here, however, was the introduction of another
strain of blood.
William the Conqueror's own charger is said to have been
a Spanish horse, and Roger de Boulogne, Earl of Shrewsbury,
is reported to have introduced Spanish horses on his estates.
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. 3
The Conquest, therefore, brought with it sundry strains of
foreign blood, which must necessarily have had its influence
in more or less changing the appearance of our native horses.
As Eastern blood has admittedly been so potent a factor
in making our English thoroughbred the horse he is, we may
just pause to point out that in the reign of Henry I., we come
across the first recorded importation of an Eastern horse.
The story goes that Alexander I., King of Scotland, presented
to the Church of St. Andrew (inter alia) an Arabian horse.
Mention has already been made of the Arabs Severus is said
to have raced in Yorkshire, but we may search in vain for any
hint as to how they got here.
That an opportunity was missed at the time of the Crusades
is tolerably certain ; and, if we make passing notice of the fact
that Richard Cceur de Lion is reported to have possessed two
horses he purchased from Cyprus, and which were probably
of Eastern origin, we may go on to the reign of Edward III.,
for most of King John's exertions were so extended upon war
and heavy horses, though at the same time he did not neglect
the race course, as he imported many Eastern horses.
Edward III., however, bought fifty Spanish horses, believ-
ing that their blood would materially improve the native
breed, but he is said to have almost repented of his extrava-
gance on finding that they had cost him no less than
13 6s. 8d. per head. This King, who was unquestionably a
sportsman in his way, had running horses, and was fully alive
to the importance of trying to get a lighter and faster horse
than the ponderous animals which were required to carry the
armoured soldier in battle.
One of Henry VIII.'s officials was styled Master of the
Barbary horses ; but whether this very arbitrary monarch had
any Barbs, or whether this was merely a generic term for
his race horses is, we venture to think, doubtful; we do
know, however, that he imported horses from Turkey, Spain,
and Naples ; while the Marquis of Mantua gave him some
high-class mares, and the Duke of Arbino presented him with
4 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
a stallion. Still, partly perhaps owing to the restrictions
placed by the King upon breeding operations, we are unable to
gather from the records that the stamp of horses improved
to any great extent in his reign. With Queen Elizabeth's
accession to the throne, however, a better state of things com-
menced. It is true that racing fell off; but, as a compensation,
the breed was maintained to a great extent through Barbs,
and Spanish horses descended from Barbs which were found
on the ships captured by Lord Howard, of Efnngham, when
he routed the Armada.
Although James I. has often been sneered at on account of
the manner in which he occasionally followed hunting and
racing in some ways he may remind us of Colonel Thornton
he was beyond doubt a sportsman somewhat in advance of
his time. To confine ourselves, however, to the introduction
of foreign strains of blood, it seems that a good many foreign
horses were sent as presents to the English Court ; half-a-
dozen Barbs are said to have been brought to England by Sir
Thomas Edmonds, who, as ambassador and traveller, had
many opportunities of seeing Eastern sires, and who no doubt
imported others of which we know nothing.
One imported horse, however, must be specially noticed
the Markham Arabian. So far as we can judge, this seems
to have been a private purchase of the King's, prompted solely
by his own desire to try an experiment. Possibly he may have
remembered the Arab said to have been presented to the Church
of St. Andrew about five hundred years before ; and may have
desired to try once more the effect of this blood. To put the
matter shortly, the Markham Arabian appears to have been a
failure. He was put into training, but could win no races ; nor
could any of his stock run. Prior to this time, there were as
we have shown, a great many Eastern horses of one kind and
another imported ; but this Markham Arabian is the only one
concerning which we have any details ; and these might
probably not have been forthcoming had it not been that the
Duke of Newcastle saw him, thought him " small potatoes
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. 5
and few in a hill," and spoke of him in the most disparaging
terms.
During this time, however, there were in England horses
which could hold their own against all foreign importations.
For this statement Gervase Markham is our chief authority.
He may possibly have been imbued with a certain amount of
patriotic admiration for home products, but this is what he
wrote : " Again, for swiftness, what nation hath brought forth
that horse which hath exceeded the English ? when the best
Barbaries that ever were were in their prime, I saw them over-
runne by a black hobbie at Salisbury, yet that hobbie was
more overrunne by a horse called Valentine, which Valentine
neither in hunting nor running was ever equalled, yet was a
plain bred English horse both by syre and dam."
It is interesting, too, to note the description of the English
horse as given by the same expert. " Some former writers,"
he says, " whether out of want of experience, or to flatter
novelties, have concluded that the English horse is a great
strong jade, deep ribbed, sid-bellied, with strong legges and
good hoofes, yet fitter for the cart than either saddle or any
working employment. How false this is all English horsemen
knowe. The true English horse, him I meane that is bred
under a good clime on firme ground, in a pure temperature, is
of tall stature and large proportions ; his head, though not so
fine as either the Barberie's or the Turke's, yet is lean, long,
and well fashioned ; his crest is hie, only subject to thickness
if he be stoned, but if he be gelded* then it is firm and strong ;
his chyne is straight and broad, and all his limbs are large,
leane, flat, and excellently jointed."
A horse with a lean head, a good chine, and flat legs has
certainly the attributes of a good one. As already mentioned,
the Markham Arabian was invariably beaten on a race course ;
and it is important to bear all these matters in mind now that
* The practice of castrating horses is said to have been first practised in
the time of Henry VII.
6 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
we are approaching a period at which the modern thorough-
bred may be said to have been invented.
Continuing our notice of imported Eastern horses, we find
that in the reign of Charles I., Sir Edward Harwood laments
the scarcity of strong horses, giving as the reason that light
and swift horses were bred for the purpose of racing ; and,
though Sir Edward may have been in error in supposing
that strong horses fit for the cavalry soldier were scarce, his
testimony to the existence of race horses helps us to under-
stand that light horses were being bred with considerable care.
In this reign (Charles I.) the Duke of Buckingham brought
over to England a horse known as the Buckingham Turk,
which, from being sold to Mr. Helmsley, acquired the better
known name of the Helmsley Turk. He does not appear to
have been raced; but, as will hereafter appear, to have left
his name in the Stud Book. The sad events in this country,
which culminated with the execution of the King, not unnatu-
rally retarded the breeding of horses ; but Cromwell was clear
enough to perceive that the country at large would benefit by
the public attention being drawn to the importance of having
suitable light horses for the cavalry ; and so he kept his own
stud and race horses ; and, having at his elbow a Mr. Place, by
reputation a skilful breeder and his stud master, he became
possessed of the White Turk, imported by Mr. Place, in con-
nection with whose descendants we shall have something to
say presently.
Without going at undue and unnecessary length into the
history of the English horse and the history has been written
by many pens an attempt has been made to show, in the first
place, how the native horses were probably altered in type, by
being crossed with the different foreign horses which have from
time to time been brought over to England ; and, secondly, that
there appears to have been in England a breed of horses, to
wit, those described by Gervase Markham, which were, at
any rate fast enough to beat the Eastern horses pitted against
them.
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. 7
How these "hobbies" were bred we have no means of know-
ing, but many of them are said to have come from Ireland, and
this is a rather curious circumstance in horse-breeding. Until
the hairy-heeled cart horse was introduced into Ireland, the cart
horse of the country was a clean-legged one, and it was from
these that the famous Irish hunters came hunters up to
weight, and by no means lacking pace. Is it not, therefore,
very probable that the race horse of former days may have
been bred on similar lines ?
What has been written above has gone to show that up to
the time of the Commonwealth a good many external strains
of blood had been grafted on to the native stock ; even at
this time the lightest and swiftest horse was a composite
animal, more like our hunters he could not have been bred
to type ; nor could he have shown the mark of any particular
breed like the blood horse of to-day. Like our weight-carrying
hunter, he must have been more or less a chance-bred animal,
and in a kingdom of the blind where the one-eyed were kings,
the fastest stood out from the rest of their composite bred
brethren.
How far pedigrees were kept generally we have little means
of knowing. But when all domestic matters were turned
upside down by that disastrous upheaval which put a stop to
everything except ill-feeling, it is more than probable that
many of the records which had unquestionably been kept
during the reign of James I. were destroyed, just as many
ecclesiastical records were destroyed at the Reformation. At
this stage, at all events, we are justified in arriving at the
conclusion that there were in England different kinds of horses,
and that from time to time the native stock had been crossed
with various foreign strains ; and in this state matters stood
at the Restoration.
King Charles II. may not have been in all respects an ideal
monarch ; but it is to him that we owe the foundation of our
present race of thoroughbred horses. It seems, however, to
have been sometimes assumed that the thread of horse-
8 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
breeding was cut when Charles II. came to the throne ; and
that what subsequently took place had no connection with
what had gone before. In other words, the opinion seems
to have been entertained that the stock which was in existence
when Charles II. succeeded had nothing to do with the origin
of the thoroughbred horse. To this doctrine we cannot
subscribe, as there is no ground for thinking that the previously
existing race horses were entirely tabooed by the " Merry
Monarch ; " in fact, there is every reason to come to the
opposite conclusion.
Though James I. and Charles I. introduced Eastern blood,
we do not read that they or any of their predecessors imported
many Eastern mares ; though, of course, it is only reasonable
to suppose that a certain number did come to England. King
Charles II., however, commissioned his Master of the Horse,
Sir John Fenwick, who was also a breeder on his own account,
to go abroad and bring back some mares of the best blood he
could find. This was no doubt a congenial task to Sir John,
who was a well-known racing man of that time ; but whither he
went, how many mares he bought, and what they were, are
matters which cannot be stated with any certainty.
According to some authorities Sir John Fenwick went to
Tangier and returned with four Barb mares ; others say that
eight were procured, while others again incline to the opinion
that the new purchases included an Arab mare, and possibly
a Turk. Be this as it may, these mares were known as Royal
mares; but, inasmuch as some of their female offspring were
also called Royal mares the exact number of the original stock
cannot be ascertained by reference to any existing records.
It is in the time of King Charles II. that the modern thorough-
bred horse may be said to have been invented. Sir John
Fenwick brought back with him not only the Royal mares,
but some sires as well ; and from this period a constant stream
of Eastern blood flowed into England.
So far as can be made out we know very little of what
success attended the importation of the Royal mares. One of
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. 9
the Royal mares, however, was heavy in foal when she reached
England, and soon after joining the King's stud, gave birth to
the colt, afterwards known as Dodsworth, who was, of course,
a pure Barb. Then, as now, private enterprise was largely
expended upon horse-breeding ; and several of the King's
subjects, Lord Cullen, and Lord Conway, for example, im-
ported several Eastern horses. On the death of Charles II.
the Royal mares and other horses appear to have been sold.
Dodsworth's dam, bought by Mr. Child from the stud master
for 40 guineas, and several of the others apparently passed
into the possession of Mr. John D'Arcy who seems to have
founded a breeding stud at Sedbury soon after the Restoration.
This, at any rate, we may infer from the fact that we find
the names of the D'Arcy Grey Royal Mare, and three other
D'Arcy Royal Mares. Lord D'Arcy also imported two Eastern
sires, known respectively as D'Arcy's White Turk andD'Arcy's
Yellow Turk, and these, by being put to the Royal, and other
good mares, left their mark upon the earlier stock of this
country.
We gather from the Stud Book that about 176 Eastern sires
were imported from the time of King James I. ; and of these
24 found their way to England in the reign of Queen Anne.
We would here again remind the reader that the thorough-
bred race horse was not for the first time created by the im-
portation of Eastern blood, though it unquestionably improved
our native horses ; but, amid the many importations which
began in the time of the Stuarts, we lose sight of the old
English race horse as he existed before the Restoration.
It would be mere plagiarism to discuss in detail all the
Eastern horses the names of which are to be found ; it will,
therefore, suffice for this description of the manufacture of the
blood-horse to make short mention of three sires who may be
said to have accomplished great things for the breed of race
horses, though it is incorrect to say that they, between them,
made the thoroughbred.
The first is the Byerly Turk, so called because he was
io LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
ridden as a charger by Captain Byerly during King William's
campaign in Ireland. When this horse came to England is
not quite clear; but it was probably about the year 1689.
Then, during the first dozen years of the i8th century, Mr.
Darley, a Yorkshire gentleman, introduced the Darley
Arabian (the sire of Childers), and, lastly, came the horse
known as the Godolphin Arabian ; but which was probably a
Barb. He must have come to England about 1728; in 1730
and 1731 he was teaser to Hobgoblin, and might have
been unknown to fame had it not so happened that on the
refusal of Hobgoblin to serve Roxana, the Godolphin Ara-
bian had to take his place ; and the result was Lath, the
first of his get.
It will, therefore, be seen from the dates of these horses that
races had been held very long before their time ; that Eastern
horses had run, and been beaten by English horses ; and that
Eastern blood had been used. Consequently, it is evident
that this illustrious trio of sires founded no new breed ; they
would only be crossed with the then living mares. And what
were these mares ? The female lines of race horses are too
often neglected by writers ; but if the matter be examined
closely it will be found that there is a good deal of blood
in the modern thoroughbred which is not of Eastern origin.
This point is clearly and forcibly put by that high authority,
Mr. Joseph Osborne (" Beacon "), in the valuable introduc-
, tion to the " Breeder's Handbook." In protesting against
the oft-made assertion that the English thoroughbred owes
his origin to the Byerly Turk, the Darley Arabian, and the
Godolphin horse, Mr. Osborne says : " But in the female
line there are undeniable proofs of important influence out-
side and anterior to the known Eastern sires ; and here I
maintain that, in considering the origin of the * thoroughbred '
as distinct from his Stud Book genealogy, it is most un-
reasonable nay, even preposterous to set aside the female
sources. Indeed, if the investigation be pursued logically,
that side must be the more interesting in this instance
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. II
because, the sires being admittedly Eastern, it becomes
imperative to trace, if possible, the blood of their mates. If
a potent average of the dams at the roots is found not to be
Eastern, then it becomes obvious that any restrictive claim
for purely Arab descent has no authentic basis in fact."
We may find much proof of what is advanced by Mr.
Osborne by referring to the pedigree of the famous Eclipse.
Marske was the sire of Eclipse, and in Marske's pedigree we
find that Snake was by the Lister Turk, out of a mare by
Hautboy ; but the name of the mare which threw Snake's
dam to Hautboy is not to be found. This is of itself pre-
sumptive, though not conclusive, evidence that the mare was
English bred. Had she been an Eastern matron her identity
would certainly have been established. Then, again, Grey
Wilkes was by Hautboy, out of Miss D'Arcy's Pet Mare ;
but who was the sire of this Pet Mare cannot be ascertained.
The inference is that the sire was an English horse ; and
this is all the more probable because Lord D'Arcy, as
already pointed out, was one of the foremost breeders of the
day ; and as he mentions all his Eastern horses, he would
certainly have kept record of this mare had he known her
lineage. Of Coneyskins we have no knowledge beyond the
fact that he was a son of the Lister Turk ; his dam was
probably an English mare ; while we may search in vain for
the breeding of the Old Clubfoot mare, except that she was
by Hautboy ; and yet she was the property of Mr. Crofts,
who bred largely, as the term was understood in those days.
Not to labour the matter out to an undue length, it may be
shortly stated that there are flaws in the pedigree of Bay
Bolton's sire ; and it is curious to note that the identity of
so many mares which were sent to Hautboy has been lost.
Grey Hautboy, sire of Bay Bolton, was by Hautboy.
In the pedigree of Spiletta, the dam of Eclipse, we find
sundry other blanks which cannot be filled in ; and in each
case the probability is that English blood should claim the
honour of a place. Mr. Osborne says : " The thirteen un-
12 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
known sources affect nine of the sixteen divisions, leaving
the natural inference that the amount of English blood in
the pedigree of Eclipse is almost as large as that of the
Eastern sires ; and it is impossible to tell the relative in-
fluence of either blood in the descent The Eastern
blood is unaffected, so far as Bartlett's Childers (son of the
Darley Arabian), and no further ; for his son, Squirt, inherits
the unknown blood in two distinct lines from his dam, Sister
to Old Country Wench ; whilst Marske, the son of Squirt
(and sire of Eclipse), has a far greater admixture of the
unknown (but, as I assume, English) element through his
dam, the daughter of Blacklegs, who has no fewer than seven
blanks, or, in other words, only one of eight lines of descent
can be traced to a purely Eastern source. What equitable
claim, therefore, can be made to a purely Eastern descent on
his sire's side, if both his sire and grandsire inherit so many
strains to which no Eastern origin can be assigned ? "
Mr. Osborne continues : "The origin of Eclipse traced on
the side of his dam, Spiletta, is even more convincing as to
the extravagant conclusions which have been made. Even
the best influence of the Godolphin has commenced with the
unknown element in his son Regulus, whose dam, Grey
Robinson, is, of course, affected by the remarks above,
concerning the Sister to Old Country Wench ; whilst Mother
Western, the maternal granddam of Eclipse, is conspicuously
wanting in Eastern credit, since nothing is known of the
dam of her sire, besides the discrepancies in Snake, and the
' unknown quantity ' in her dam, the Old Montague mare,
through the maternal descent of Merlin. I need say no more
about this great pedigree. The evidences which have in-
fluenced my own judgment are before the reader in a way
that enables him to form his own judgment independently.
There is nothing revolutionary in what I have stated. The
best authorities have referred, though only en passant, to the
Eastern sires as improvers ; but they have left the assumption
that the old English influence was at once obliterated by
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. 13
them ; and that to them alone is due the credit of the whole
development."
Eclipse was foaled in 1764, and the above-quoted remarks
show that there was in his veins a considerable amount of,
to say the least, unknown blood ; and as Pot-8-os, Waxy,
Whalebone, Camel, Touchstone, Orlando, and Teddington
were amongst his direct descendants, it follows that what
Mr. Osborne designates the " unknown quantity," existed in
those famous horses.
What has been said above justifies, we venture to think,
the statement previously made that the race horse of to-day
is a composite animal ; while it is not to be denied that the
admixture of Eastern blood materially benefited our native
stock. Then the time came when Eastern sires were no
longer used to develop the thoroughbred ; and the volumes
of the Stud Book now tell their own tale.
In order to give the reader who may not care for deep re-
search into the Stud Book, a general idea of the families and
roots, we may just run quickly through some of the lines. Of
the Helmsley Turk, we have already made mention, and it is
only necessary to say here, that it is as the sire of Bustler his
memory has chiefly been held in veneration, as Bustler's
blood is of importance in the older pedigrees. Here, again,
Place's White Turk is entitled to honourable mention, as he
not only sired some good racehorses, but at the stud helped
breeders with some of his female descendants, while the
strain has been handed down to us through Matchem and
Woodpecker.
As already pointed out, the three sires, the Byerly Turk,
the Darley Arabian, and the Godolphin Arab or Barb did not
found a new breed : they were merely fresh infusions. They
are, however, commonly spoken of as the fountain heads from
which our best known horses have mainly sprung, the Byerly
Turk through Herod, the Darley Arabian through Eclipse,
and the Godolphin horse through Matchem. If the male lines
alone be considered, the modern racehorse has more of the
14 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Eclipse blood in him than he has of that of either Herod or
Matchem, for from Eclipse have proceeded very many families.
In the same way it can be shown that, with reference to the
male line alone, Herod is next represented, and Matchem
least of all. When, however, we come to take the female
lines into consideration as well, the complexion of the case is
somewhat changed, and it will be found that, with scarcely
an exception, the foremost horses of to-day have more of the
blood of Herod in their composition than of Eclipse, that is
to say, they represent the Byerly Turk to a greater extent
than they do the Darley Arabian.
In a most learned and carefully thought out article on " The
Blood of our Thoroughbred Horses," which appeared in the
Field for the 8th and 2gth of May, 1886, and in the Rural
Almanack for 1887, all this and much more is cleverly shown
by carefully prepared tables, and the writer there remarks
"the representation of the Godolphin line of descent (Mat-
chem) is ' nowhere ' in comparison with the representation of
the Darley line (Eclipse) as regards the number of direct
male descendants ; but the descendants, in respect to pro-
portion of blood, do not derive from the Darley Arabian one
half as much as they do from the Godolphin. And it is even
more marked in the line of Herod, for in that sire there was
not one drop of Godolphin blood, whereas Herod's descen-
dants in the present day derive from the Godolphin three
times as much as from the Byerly Turk which they are con-
sidered to represent." The reader, therefore, will understand
that, although certain horses are described as being de-
scendants of one of the three Eastern sires, or of Herod,
Eclipse, or Matchem, this does not mean that they do not
include much blood of the others, for, as time has gone on,
the three strains have become commingled.
As the Byerly Turk came to England before either the
Darley Arabian or the Godolphin, we will speak of him first.
The famous horse, Herod, was great grandson of Jigg, who
was son of the Byerly Turk ; and until Partner, one of his
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. Ijj
sons, was six years old, Jigg was merely a travelling stallion
in Lincolnshire. Among Herod's best sons were Highflyer
Woodpecker, Florizel and Phenomenon. From this strain
we have Highflyer, Sir Peter Teazle (commonly called Sir
Peter), Selim, Pantaloon, Partisan, Bay Middleton, Gladiator,
Glaucus, Sweetmeat, The Flying Dutchman and Wild Day-
rell. From two mares by the Byerly Turk there are descended
in the female line, as the new edition of the first volume of
the Stud Book tells us, Bend Or, Robert the Devil, Uncas,
Speculum, Blue Gown, Craig Millar, Paradox, The Bard,
Minting, &c.
From the Darley Arabian was descended Eclipse, and also
King Fergus, Pot-8-os, Waxy, Whalebone, Orville, Whisker,
Sir Hercules, Touchstone, Irish Bird-catcher, Lanercost,
Blacklock, the Baron, Rataplan, Stockwell, King Tom, and
Newminster, whose son was the famous Hermit.
Lastly comes the Godolphin Arabian, said to be really a
Barb, and in some ways the most important of these three
Eastern sires. From him we get Matchem, Conductor, Hum-
phrey Clinker, Melbourne, West Australian, Prime Minister,
Knight of the Garter, Knight of Kars, &c.
Such, then, is a necessarily imperfect outline sketch of the
manner in which the modern thoroughbred has been built up
or manufactured. In the course of his development there is
one fact which everyone admits he has increased in size ;
and having said this, we have said everything on which men
are universally agreed. Some people say that the modern
race horse is not as stout as he was. Of this opinion is
Mr. Joseph Osborne. In the " Horse Breeders' Handbook "
he says that the Irish-bred horses, Byron, Paladour and
Napoleon " found it no trouble to run four miles under eight
minutes," while on a subsequent page he quotes the Earl of
Stradbroke as follows : " My firm belief is that there are not
four horses in England now that could run over the Beacon
Course (4 miles i furlong 135 yards) at Newmarket within
eight minutes, which in my younger days I used to see con-
stantly done."
l6 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Of course, in making these comparisons much will depend
upon the credit attaching to the old records. About 1721
Flying or Devonshire Childers is said to have run a trial over
the Round Course (3 miles, 4 furlongs, 93 yards) at Newmarket,
in 6 mins. 41 sees., that is to say, at an average rate of speed
of i min. 50 sees, for a mile, though he was carrying 9 stone
2lbs. On a subsequent occasion Childers is said, when
carrying the same weight, to have run the Beacon Course
(4 miles, i furlong, 138 yards) in 7 mins. 30 sees. In this
instance we find that each mile took Childers less time to
cover than when he was running the shorter course, for the
average over the four miles is no more than i min. 47 sees.
and a fraction of a second for each mile.
Matchem is credited with having even surpassed this per-
formance, the report being that he ran the Beacon Course
in 7 mins. 20 sees., or a mile in i min. 44 sees. ; but then his
weight was 8 stone 7lbs. instead of 9 stone 2lbs.
Now if these times be compared with those of more modern
horses over shorter courses, it will be to the disadvantage of
the moderns, as the following figures will show, and a few of
the best times have been selected as given in Ruff :
In 1846, the first year in which the time is given in Ruff,.
Pyrrhus I. won the Derby in 2 min. 55 sees. ; and if we take
the Derby Course at a mile and a half, Pyrrhus I. ran at the
rate of a mile in i min. 56! sees. The average of the Flying
Dutchman (1849), Daniel O'Rourke (1852), and Ellington
(1856), in still slower, as they took 3min. ; 3 min. 2 sees. ; and
3 min. 4 sees, respectively to get over the mile and a-half.
Kettledrum, Blair Athol, Merry Hampton, and Ayrshire
show better time, as they covered the distance in 2 min. 43
sees., that is to say, at an average rate of speed of i min. 48!
sees, for a mile.
The St. Leger Course is given in Ruff as i mile, 6 furlongs,
and 132 yards; and in 1888 Seabreeze's time, the fastest on
record, was 3 min. nf sees., which gives an average of i min.
45i sees.
tTBRAftp 1
or rum
UNIVERSITY
*<r
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE.
Then if we take White Feather's time for the Goodwood
Stakes of 1891, we find the time for a mile is 2 mins.
3^5 sees., the distance being set down as two miles and a-half.
Put in tabular form the averages compare thus :
m. f. yds.
m. f. yds.
m. f. yds.
m. f. yds.
m. f. yds.
4 i 138
3 4 93
240
i 6 132
i 4 o
Childers
i min. 47 sees.
i rain. 50 sees.
Matchem
i mm. 44 sees.
Pyrrhus I.
i min. 56! sees.
Kettledrum
_ _
_
.. _
i min. 48 sees.
Seabreeze
i min. 45^ sees.
White
Feather
~~
2 min. 3^, sec.
The distance at the top of each column denotes the whole distance run, and the figures in
the columns the average pace per mile.
Now, if the above records be true in every particular ; if
Childers and Matchem really performed the feats with which
they have been credited, it would appear to be a self-evident
fact that the modern racehorse is not by a long way the stayer
his ancestor of 140 years ago was. Matchem, it will be seen,
on reference to the table, ran more than four miles at a rate of
speed which has not been equalled by our fastest Derby
winners over a mile-and-a-half course. If Childers and
Matchem could run for upwards of four miles at the above
average of progression, they must have been not only stayers
indeed, but speedy as well, and the decadence of the English
racehorse would appear to be a matter not allowing of two-
opinions. The late Lord Redesdale, too, was of the number
of those who held to the idea that the racehorse of about
1866 was not so stout as the horse of a hundred years earlier;
but remember what Admiral Rous once said in an article he
contributed to Bailys Magazine " My belief is that the present
English racehorse is as much superior to the race horse of
1750 as he exceeded the first cross from Arabs and Barbs
with English mares; and, again, as they surpassed the old
racing hack of 1650. The form of Flying Childers might now
win a 30 plate, winner to be sold for ^"40. Highflyer and
Eclipse might pull through in a ^"50 plate, winner to be sold
2
i8 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
for 200. This may be a strong opinion ; it is founded on the
fact that whereas 150 years ago the Eastern horses and their
first cross were the best and fastest in England, at this day a
second-class racehorse can give five stone to the best Arabian
or Barb and beat him from one to twenty miles. I presume,
therefore, that the superiority of the English horse has im-
proved in that ratio above the original stock."
It was only in 1885 that the Duke of Portland's four-year-old
Iambic, always described as the very worst horse in training,
gained an absurdly easy victory over Admiral Tryon's four
year-old at a distance of 3 miles at Newmarket. Asil received
over four stone and a half. We do not, however, mean to
assert that the match in question proved conclusively ths true
difference in speed between the two breeds ; for Asil may not
have been as fit as was his opponent ; and it may be we
do not say such is the case that Arabs may require to be
trained in a manner differing from that employed for con-
ditioning our own horses. But the match may be taken as
showing that the Arab is no match for even a bad specimen
of an English racehorse ; and the Markham Arabian appears
to have been just as great a failure in the time of James I.
Then, again, it is a common cry that we have no stayers in
these days. On this point Admiral Rous wrote as follows in the
article from which we have already quoted : " A very ridicu-
lous notion exists that, because our ancestors were fond of
matching their horses four, six and eight miles, and their great
prizes were never less than four miles for aged horses, the
English racehorse of 1700 had more powers of endurance,
and were better adapted to run long distances under heavy
weights, than the horses of the present day ; and there is
another popular notion that our horses cannot now stay four
miles."
In the time of our ancestors, as the Admiral pointed out, there
were but few races over a short distance of ground ; now,
save at Ascot and Goodwood, we have few long ones ; and
with so many valuable prizes to be won over courses varying
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. IQ
from five furlongs to a mile or a mile and a- quarter, it is
scarcely worth the while of an owner to forego these stakes,
and give his horse a thorough preparation for, say, the
Alexandra Plate at Ascot. A horse, like a man, loses his
speed if he does the long slow work necessary in training
for long distances. In short, the question of staying or non-
staying seems to be very much a matter of supply and
demand. If the five and ten-thousand pound races were
over four miles of ground, the chances are that several horses
would be trained thoroughly, with a view to winning those
events ; but at present it scarcely seems quite fair to give a
horse but two or three opportunities of running in a three-mile
race, and then to say that he cannot stay, especially as horses
stay three and four miles, in steeplechases.
However, we will not venture to dogmatise on a subject
which, if it be not quite impossible to prove, is at least very
difficult of demonstration. Those who are convinced that the
English racehorse has deteriorated, suggest from time to time
a re-introduction of Arab blood, which they assert did such
good service aforetime. Here it may be pointed out that it
was by no means Arab blood exclusively to which we are
indebted to the improvement in our blood-stock. Eastern
blood of all kinds was imported, as we have already mentioned ;
and the horse who has been as valuable as any other the
Goldolphin is said to have been a Barb and not an Arab.
As might have been expected, the proposal to again have
recourse to Arab blood meets with a good deal of opposition
whenever it happens to be brought forward ; but at present,
and so far as those who breed to race and who breed for sale
are concerned, another cross with the Arab does not seem
ikely to be tried just yet.
It need scarcely be pointed out that it is not to racing men
only that our thoroughbred-stock is important. To at least
some of those who do own racehorses the racehorse is nothing
more than a machine to make or lose money, as the case may
be; but to other owners, and to those who have nothing to
2O LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
do with the Turf and its associations, the welfare of the
thoroughbred horse means a great deal. He is the founda-
tion of our hunting stock ; his blood is represented in our
hacks, polo ponies, van horses, and nearly all our harness
horses, not to mention the remounts for our cavalry. If it
were proposed in Parliament to-morrow to make racing
illegal, a thousand tongues would make answer that one of
the objects of racing is to improve the breed of horses. This
is perfectly true ; and by having a good stamp of blood horse
we improve, in nearly every particular, hunter, hack and
harness horse, in their several types, whatever may be the
case on the Turf.
If, then, it be seriously contended that one of the aims and
objects of racing is to improve the breed of horses gener-
ally ; to enable us to boast that we possess the finest horses
in the world ; to enable us to possess ourselves of the gold of
the foreigner ; to put money in the pocket of the long-suffering
and much suffering agriculturist if these arguments are seri-
ously advanced, surely the first step towards accomplishing
all this is to try and breed a sound horse. Yet infatuated
people were found to try and bring back Ormonde, regardless
of the fact that nearly every veterinary surgeon of note has
declared roaring to be one of the hereditary diseases. Surely
there is something anomalous in disqualifying for roaring a
horse whose chief mission it will be to serve mares at two
guineas apiece, while others are willing to pay three hundred
guineas for the service of a confirmed roarer like Ormonde,
not to mention trying to buy him at a price that would pur-
chase several high-class sound horses. If people like to
breed from a roarer, let them ; only let them at the same
time cease talking about racing tending towards the improve-
ment in the breed of horses.
The importance of breeding from sound parents only has
been considerably emphasised since the breeding of hunters
and other half-bred stock has been made, though to a com-
paratively small extent only, a State question. As every one
THE THOROUGHBRED HORSE. 21
is by this time aware, the money formerly given for Queen's
plates is now diverted into another channel, and under the
auspices of the Royal Commission on Horse-breeding, an
annual sum of ^5,000 is now given to subsidising thorough-
bred sires which shall serve the mares of tenant farmers at
the nominal sum of forty shillings. Now, the most that this
arrangement can effect for some time is to place a sound sire
within the reach of the average farmer, without giving him
the trouble of asking a single question about its soundness.
That is guaranteed at any rate as certainly as ever conflict-
ing opinions allow by the fact that the horse is the winner of
a Queen's Premium. Yet ever since the Queen's Premiums
have been awarded, not a little grumbling on the part of
exhibitors has taken place concerning the strictness of the
veterinary examination. A ringbone, even at mature age,
has caused more than one horse to be discarded ; while no
matter how perfect shoulders and loins may be, no matter
how much bone may be found below the knee, or how flat
and clean the legs, any unsoundness in the respiratory organs
leads to disqualification.
We are thus confronted with a curious two-fold anomaly.
In the first place we have two standards of soundness one
for the sires of racehorses, another for the sires of hunters,
hacks, cavalry remounts, &c. Nor does the anomaly stop
here. People unacquainted with the Turf might suppose that
the greater strictness were exercised over those sires which
are destined to beget racehorses ; but no ! a certain number
of breeders are content if they can get a galloping machine,
hoping (if we assume that they are not agnostics in the
matter of hereditary unsoundness) their horse may be that
one which shall not inherit the weak points of his sire or
dam. When we come to hunter sires, however (recruited, it
must be remembered, from the ranks of blood horses), not to
mention Shires, Clydesdales, Hackneys, Suffolks, Clevelands,
Yorkshire-bred horses, cobs and ponies, we find soundness in
wind a sine qua non. In short, therefore, the readiness with
22
LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
which some racing men will breed from roarers, and the deter-
mination of the hunter division to have none of them, seems
to be very much as though a man should willingly defile a
reservoir, while another person should be very particular as
to the purity of the water he draws from the pipe fed by the
impure reservoir. Had the Duke of Westminster gone into
his picture gallery and sold his ancestors, he could not have
been more soundly abused than he was for selling Ormonde ;
yet that that once great horse left his country for his country's
good is as certain as that the Duke would not have parted
with him for any money had he, in his opinion, been fit to
breed from. It is proverbial that a man, when about to
choose a horse, must use his own discretion, but when for
breeding purposes he selects an unsound one, he is doing his
share towards propagating a race of unsound horses, and,
as we said just now, this disqualifies him from pleading that
the improvement of the breed of horses underlies the claim
of racing to support.
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 23
CHAPTER II.
THE HACKNEY HORSE.
THE position occupied by the Hackney horse at the present
time, when it is compared with that in which he was placed
less than a generation ago, would be absolutely astonishing,
even to his most ardent admirers, were they not well aware
of the intrinsic worth of the animal upon whose production
so many of them are expending not only their time, but vast
sums of money. It is, in fact, only of late years that the
Hackney has been, if not entirely resuscitated, at all events
rescued from the slough of neglect into which the apathy or
the ignorance of English breeders had plunged him. Either
of these expressions is a hard term to apply to a brother lover
of the horse, but yet no more polite one can reasonably be
bestowed upon a body of presumably business-like men who
had for years ignored the merits of one of the most useful
varieties of native horse. That the Hackney has not been
popular as an instrument for gambling purposes is certainly
very creditable to the breed ; but, at the same time, it is
quite within the bounds of possibility that, had the English
been, as the Americans are, addicted to trotting as a pastime,
a great deal of the attention that has been devoted to the
thoroughbred would have been lavished on the Hackney.
It is chiefly due to the exertions of the Hackney Horse
Society that the horse, to whose interests it is pledged,
has emerged from the obscurity which surrounded him but
24. LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
a few years ago, and has once more taken his proper place
high up in the list of recognised and popular English breeds.
That the Society's efforts have been fully appreciated by
the nation is discernible by the fact that Her Majesty the
Queen two years ago became its patron ; whilst amongst the
names of past presidents who have laboured on its behalf,
that of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales is prominent in a list
which is full of the names of the leading horse-breeders
and enthusiasts of the day. Still, royal and aristocratic
patronage, inestimable as is its value when bestowed upon
a deserving cause, could never have the power to im-
press the horse-loving public that extraordinary combina-
tion of sentiment and common sense with any idea of the
merits possessed by a horse which, if put to the test, would
fail to justify the eulogies bestowed upon him ; and conse-
quently the Hackney has been compelled to stand upon his
merits. That the horse has amply repaid his friends for
their support, the state of the market offers proofs pregnant
with silent tributes to his value ; and, moreover, this never-
failing testimony to an animal's worth s. d. is supported
by the ever-increasing entries at the Society's spring shows
in London. Regarding the latter for a moment, it may be
pointed out that at the first of these exhibitions, in 1885,
there were but 123 Hackneys in the catalogue, whilst at the
last, the eighth of the series, held in the spring of 1893,
no fewer than 383 entries were secured ; and this, let it be
added, in the face of a never-ceasing drain upon the resources
of exhibiters and breeders by buyers from America, the
Colonies, and every country on the Continent. The greatest
possible satisfaction must likewise be experienced by every
lover of the Hackney, from the conviction that the soundness
of the breed is greatly improving as the merits of the horse
are more widely recognised and proportionately valued.
Having proceeded so far in the consideration of the posi-
tion now occupied by the Hackney, one almost begins to fear
that readers who have not paid much attention to the ante-
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 25
cedents of the breed may commence to labour under the
erroneous impression that the subject of this chapter is a
horse without a history ; but nothing, as a matter of fact,
can possibly be further from the fact. The early periods of
its existence will shortly be alluded to below ; but it is first
necessary to refer to the services that have been rendered
to the breed by those enthusiasts in East Anglia and in the
wolds of Yorkshire, who, for generations past, through good
report and evil, have treasured up the old blood that has been
left them by their fathers ; and whose loyalty and devotion to
the Hackney are now bringing forth golden fruit as the fit
reward of their staunchness and devotion in the days when
the Hackney horse was at a discount. These men stuck to
the breed, and bred it pure, not only from feelings of affec-
tion, but from that implicit consciousness of its meri.ts which
a long association with it had impressed upon their minds ;
and great indeed must be their exultation in the hour of its,
and their, triumph over prejudice and ignorance.
That the Hackney is unfortunately still the victim of both
these enemies is an admitted fact that no attempt to explain
away can possibly accomplish, but that the horse has now
attained an unassailable position, and will live down such
attacks as may be made upon him is happily an equally
accepted certainty. It is, however, as remarkable as it is
regrettable, that the chief imputations upon the Hackney come
from professed supporters of the thoroughbred, very many of
whom would be highly surprised to learn that the society's
Stud Book contains references to, and the pedigrees of, horses
that were foaled as far back as the middle of the last century.
Consequently, it is surprising that such sticklers for blood
should express disdain at animals, in whose veins the blood of
the Darley Arabian and his illustrious successors most un-
doubtedly flows, but it is perhaps within the limits of possi-
bility that the attention that such breeders of hunters as Earl
Spencer and others are bestowing upon the Hackney, has
excited a feeling of rivalry within their breasts. Admitting
26 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
for the sake of argument and of argument only that the
thoroughbred is all that is pure, and that the Hackney is but
half-bred, it must be confessed even by the detractors of the
latter that he is a mongrel with an exceptionally long pedigree,
in many cases as far reaching as that of the first mentioned
horse. It can scarcely be maintained, moreover, that such
sires as the Darley Arabian or Godolphin Arabian were in the
zenith of their fame only put to galloping mares, in fact,
abundant proofs are forthcoming to the contrary ; neither can
it be contended or substantiated by evidence that other light
mares, besides gallopers, were not highly prized by horse
breeders in the eighteenth century.
Mr. Henry F. Euren, the energetic secretary of the Hackney
Horse Society, and an enthusiast upon all questions con-
nected with pedigrees, has satisfied himself by a reference to
the files of the Norwich Mercury, of the breeding of the original
old Shales, a horse which is regarded by modern hackney
breeders as the foundation stone of the Stud Book. Shales,
according to advertisements which appeared in the Norwich
Mercury, in April, 1772, and March, 1773, was the sire of
Scots Shales, who was serving at a fee of one guinea a mare,
and a shilling to the groom, and is stated to be " by a son of
Blaze ; Blaze, by Childers out of a well bred hunter mare."
Blaze was foaled in 1733, and was by Flying Childers, dam
by Grey Grantham by Brownlow Turk out of a mare by the
Duke of Rutland's Black Barb. Of the many sons of old
Shales, two at least, Driver and Scots Shales, in turn became
pillars of the Stud Book, and to the former of these horses
many very many of the best Hackneys of the present day
owe their origin. For instance, Mr. Philip Triffit's great sire
Fireaway was by Achilles (Hairsine's) by Fireaway (Scott's)
who was got by Fireaway (Ramsdale's) by Fireaway (Bur-
gess') by Fireaway (West's) by Fireaway (Jenkinson's) a son
of Driver, from Mr. T. Jenkinson's mare by Joseph Andrews
by Roundhead. Other instances almost innumerable are
forthcoming to prove that Hackney breeders of the past,
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 27
although unfortunately denied the benefit of a Stud Book, were
not regardless of the value of a pedigree, and it would be as in-
sulting to the memories of these departed breeders, as it is
opposed to the dictates of common sense to maintain that
they were neglectful of the breeding of the mares from which
they raised their stallions. That a certain amount of obscurity
must always exist concerning the authenticity of ancient
pedigrees is a melancholy fact which all experienced breeders
are compelled to recognise, but it can scarcely be contended
with any reasonable show of justice, that the pages of a
printed Stud Book must invariably be correct, if all verbal
or traditional testimony, such as handing down the pedigrees
from father to son, is necessarily wrong. All breeders must
admit that changelings have existed amongst thoroughbreds,
and consequently, this being so, the records of their Stud Book
might as well be described as being unreliable, and with as
much justice as Hackney pedigrees are assailed by those who
cavil at the fact that every detail of early breeding is not
set down in black and white.
Reverting, however, to the antiquity of the Hackney as a
recognised breed, it may be stated that most ample testimony
is forthcoming in support of this assumption, for which the
writings of many recognised authorities are witnesses. John
Lawrence, whose exceedingly practical contributions to the
literature of 1 the eighteenth century were compiled under
difficulties which will be fully appreciated by modern authors,
makes frequent allusions to a breed that was in all its
principal characteristics identical with the Hackney of the
present day. From a perusal of the " Philosophical and
Practical Treatise on Horses," published by him, we find
that " in former days " the horses for the saddle were nags,
amblers, pacers, stirrers, trotting horses, hobbies, great horses,
or horses for the buff saddle, hunting horses, coursers, race-
horses; whilst he proceeds to add, the appellatives in
" present use amongst us," are road horses, riding horses,
saddle horses, nags, Chapman's horses, hacks, hackneys, ladies'
28 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
horses or pads, hunters, running horses, racers, race horses,
gallopers, welter horses, managed horses, chargers, troop
horses, post hacks or post horses, trotters, cantering hacks or
canterers, horses which carry double, cobs, galloways, ponies
and mountain-merlins. There is fortunately no necessity for
analysing the above rather intricate list of varieties and sub-
varieties in the present instance, the object held in view in
making the quotation being fully served by the fact that the
existence of the Hackney as a recognised breed a hundred
years ago is amply demonstrated. John Lawrence, more-
over, in his " History of the Riding Horse" again alludes to the
hackney as a recognised and valued variety, and connects him
with the roadster a designation which apparently is there
used for the first time in English equine history, although so
far back as the year 1600, Hakluyt makes use of the ex-
pression "reader" in his collection of travels, which goes a
long way towards proving that the title was in vogue in
America at an even earlier date. There can, however, be no
reason for doubting that the designations, hackney and nag,
were interchangeable terms when applied to horses during the
past century, and certainly they have remained so ever since,
as in many parts of the country they are applied indis-
criminately to animals of the same variety. According to Mr.
H. F. Euren's carefully compiled and most valuable introduc-
tion to the first volume of the Hackney Horse Society's Stud
Book, the expression nag is the oldest surviving appellation
for the active riding horse in this country, and the word, he
informs his readers with evident correctness, is derived from
the Anglo-Saxon word hnegan, to neigh. Subsequently, Mr.
Euren proceeds to state, the Normans when they took posses-
sion of this country, introduced their own word, haquenee or
hacquenee, which was recognised in England so far back as
the year 1303. As a proof of this, Mr. Euren quotes the
following extract from the " Vision of Piers Plowman,"
written in 1350, " ac Hakeneyes hadde thei none, bote
Hakeneyes to hyre." The adoption of the expression
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 2Q
Hakeneye unquestionably proves the antiquity of the word,
and the general use made of it in England at that date, but
unfortunately there are no details forthcoming to inform
modern seekers after light what sort of animal it was that
was referred to by it.
That East Anglia was, if not actually the home of the
Hackney, at all events the locality in which horses of a
similar character were very highly esteemed so far back as
the fifteenth century, is made obvious by the allusion made
by Dame Margaret Paston, who in writing to her husband
informs him that " there be bought for you three horses at
St. Faith's Fair, and all be trotters, right fair horses God
save them and they be well keeped." From the above
quotation Mr. Euren very reasonably argues that the absence
of any further comment upon the appearance of the trotters
proves that at that time there was a recognised type of horse,
in Norfolk at all events, which was commonly known as a
" trotter."
In those old times, as now, a good deal of difference appears
to have existed as regards the value of horses, for one learns
that in 1462 Lord Howard paid i i6s. 8d. for a grey nag
to send to the French King; whilst eight years later it is
recorded that upwards of ^13 about ^"75 of our money was
the price paid for a good animal. Of Sir John Falstolfe it is
also recorded that in 1435 he bought two weight-carrying
saddle-horses at Yarmouth at 11 2s. 6d. apiece, which may
be regarded as a good price for the age in which the trans-
action occurred.
The reign of that excellent monarch and good sportswoman,
Queen Elizabeth, was undoubtedly a glorious period for
authors of all descriptions. Everyone, of course, knows that
the immortal Shakespeare flourished in those days ; but few
possibly are aware that the first book in English upon dogs
was written by her physician, the famous Dr. Caius, the
founder of Caius College, Cambridge ; and also that the first
English book on horses by Master Blundevilie, of Newton
3O LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Flotsham, in Norfolk, was published during the time she oc-
cupied the throne. The last-named writer was evidently an
enthusiast, and the completeness of his work is surprising,
when the difficulties under which he laboured come to be con-
sidered. He was a great advocate of scientific horse breeding,
and manfully maintained the rights of Englishmen to exer-
cise their own discretion regarding what variety of animal
they should keep. For breeding serviceable horses Blundeville
recommeded mares that were " of an highe stature, strongly
made, large and faire, and have a trotting pase," for as he
holds, "it is not meet for divers respects that horses for
service should amble."
The size of the old-fashioned horse is a subject upon which
very little light has been thrown by writers, but the Duke of
Newcastle, who published a work upon equine subjects in the
reign of Charles II., expresses the opinion that "there is no
fear of having too small horses in England, since the coolness
and moisture of the climate and the fatness of the land rather
produce horses too large." Such assertions are, however, of
far too vague a nature to afford any reliable data for estimating
the stature of horses during the reign of the Merry Monarch,
but early in the seventies there is, fortunately, more reliable
information forthcoming to show the size of the stallions which
produced the mares which a few years later on formed the
foundation stock from which the modern Hackney was de-
veloped by the infusion of Arab blood. We learn from an
advertisement which appeared in the Norwich Gazette in 1725,
that a grey stallion, standing 14 hands, was at the service of
the public, whilst two years later an announcement appears
in the Norwich Mercury, giving the description of a large stout
coach gelding of 15 hands, which shows that the stallions,
though they appear to have averaged from 13 to 14 hands,
were still capable of getting something taller than themselves.
Later on, in 1729, one finds that a stallion " an Arabian,"
but more probably a half-bred horse was in Norfolk, and
as the century advanced in age so the height of the horses
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 3!
apparently increased. Attention may, however, be here
directed to the fact that up to a comparatively very recent
date the Hackney classes at the annual shows of the Royal
Agricultural Society of England were only open to horses
not exceeding 15.2 hands in height, but happily this absurd
restriction has been removed. Early in the present century
there must have been some very big Hackneys about, as a
reference to the Society's Stud Book shows that Fireaway
(West's) known as Silver-tailed Fireaway who was foaled
in 1807, stood 16 hands ; and he in turn begot the dappled
grey Phenomenon Fireaway, whose height was 16.2 hands,
out of a mare by Hazard. West's Fireaway, it may be men-
tioned, was a g.g grandson of Shales the Original, and being
a Norfolk bred horse, as may be supposed, came out of a
trotting mare by Pagan by Spectator, Pagan's dam by Blank
by Godolphin Arabian, Spectator by Arab by Alcock's Arabian.
It is somewhat remarkable, however, to note the circum-
stance that most of the successful stallions, both as sires and
exhibition horses, of the present and past generations, have
stood 15.2 hands. Fireaway (Triffit's) was of this height, as
was Mr. George Bourdass's Denmark, and the latter's scarcely
less illustrious son, Danegelt, is also 15.2. Mr. W. Flanders'
celebrated horse Reality, the absolute winner of the first of
the Elsenham Challenge Cups for stallions which were pre-
sented by Sir Walter Gilbey to the Hackney Horse Society,
is likewise of this height, as is Star of the East ; whilst the
famous black Prickwillow (Tice's), and his equally renowned
son Confidence (D'Oyly's) were also 15.2 at shoulder.
Having thus endeavoured to briefly trace the existence of
the Hackney horse, so far as his origin and stature are
concerned, to the remotest period in the history of the
breed, the attention of the readers of this chapter may be
directed to the purposes for which the horse was primarily
produced, as thereby some light may perchance be thrown
upon what may be regarded as the correct type of Hackney
to select. At this point, again, Mr. Henry F. Euren, in his
32 LIGHT HORSES '. BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
invaluable production, the introduction to the first volume
of the Stud Book, will be found to have expressed a closely
reasoned opinion on the subject, the truth of which, especially
as he quotes from co-existent authorities, it is impossible to
question. Mr. Euren states roundly that " the construction
of railways had a speedy effect on the breeding of Hackney
horses," and this circumstance doubtless affords some ex-
planation for the lack of popular support the breed received
a couple of generations ago. Before the benefits of
Stephenson's great invention were offered to the public,
farmers in all parts of the country were compelled to go to
market on horseback, and, in the words of Mr. Euren, it was
"no unusual thing" for them to ride fifty or sixty miles a-
day to and fro. Now the British agriculturist, whatever
his other imperfections may be, has always been regarded
as a solid man at all events, from an avoirdupois point of
view ; and consequently it must have been a powerfully-
built horse that was used to carry him. The animal, more-
over, could not have been a sluggard, for time is valuable
when marketing transactions are on the tapis; and, there-
fore, it must generally be conceded that the horse the farmer
bestrode must have been fast as well as strong. In making
use of the expression fast, it is perhaps desirable to state
that the trot is not the only action in which the Hackney
should excel, for the style in which he walks is a point that
should always be taken into consideration by judges of the
breed. Few horses are capable of negotiating a long
journey at a trot with a heavy man upon their backs ; and
even if they were, it is to the last degree improbable that
many men would be forthcoming who were able or willing to
ride for twenty miles at this pace. It is, therefore, necessary
when selecting a Hackney to bear this in mind, as none of
the old-fashioned farmers would have cared to lose time
when easing their horses, owing to the animal they rode being
a slow walker.
We are, therefore, pretty well able to estimate what the
THE HACKNEY HORSE.
action of the Hackney was like during the earlier years of
the present century, whilst, as regards a still more antecedent
period, there is plenty of evidence to hand to bear witness
to the abilities of the then existent trotting horse. For
instance, it is recorded of old Shales' son Driver that he
was the sire of a mare that trotted 15 miles within the hour,
carrying 15 stone, whilst the old horse himself is credited
with having accomplished 17 miles within the same period
of time. According to an advertisement in the Norwich Mer-
cury in February, 1806, Pretender, who was therein alluded
to as being for sale by public auction, is stated to have done
his 1 6 miles within the hour, with 16 stone upon his back,
when five years old ; whilst Read's Fireaway won the second
prize given by the Agricultural Society to the best trotter, in
the year 1801, and after the victory trotted one mile in 2 mins.
49 sees. At a much earlier date, however, there were
records forthcoming to prove the ability of the English
trotter, amongst which is one held by Phenomena, a mare by
the trotting stallion Othello, out of a Norfolk trotting mare,
who is credited with a record of 17 miles in one hour.
Phenomena, although under 14-2 hands, when 12 years old,
in the year 1800, trotted 17 miles in 56 minutes in the Hun-
tingdon Road ; and, the performance being questioned, re-
peated the achievement in fact, excelled it by negotiating
the distance in a few seconds under 53 minutes. Subse-
quently she was matched to complete ig| miles within the
hour for a stake of 2,000 guineas ; but her opponents paid
forfeit when they discovered that in a trial she had trotted
4 miles under n minutes. It is also recorded of this famous
Hackney that, when 23 years old, she did her 9 miles in 28|
minutes. Phenomena owned several masters in the course
of her career, amongst them being the Duke of Leeds, who
was content to pay 1,800 guineas for her when in the zenith
of her fame ; but her old age was not respected by those she
served, for she was eventually disposed of in one of the
London sale yards for the wretched price of seven pounds :
34 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
but she lived to serve both Mr. Daniel and the Re:v. Dr.
Astly well, eventually dying suddenly in the last-named
gentleman's possession. A grandson of Phenomena appears
in the Hackney Society's Stud Book under the name of Phe-
nomenon (Jacobs), 578.
So much for a brief review of the past history, pedigree
and performances of the Hackney horse, which review
might readily have been greatly extended had the amount of
space available for the present chapter been larger than it is.
It is, however, now necessary to offer some observations upon
the modern horse, not with the idea of comparing him with
the heroes of bygone generations, but rather with a view to
describe the position which he occupies, the uses to which
he may be put, and the form in which he most frequently
occurs. That many Hackneys of the present day have lost
a great deal of the old character is a fact that must have
impressed itself somewhat strongly upon the minds of those
who have studied the ancient and modern types of animal,
but it must, at the same time, be equally apparent to all that
such alteration as has been effected is easily to be accounted
for by the fact that the present horse is put to far different
duties from those upon which his ancestors were employed.
No heavily-built farmer or, indeed, any other person in full
possession of his senses would, in these enlightened days,
ever think of escorting his buxom better-half to market
perched on a pillion behind his saddle ; and even if such an
idea was to enter the head of some eccentric individual, it
is to the highest degree improbable that the lady would be a
consenting party to the arrangement. Consequently, there
can be no serious objection raised against the contention of
Mr. H. F. Euren that the advent of railways affected the
production of the Hackney horse. Long journeys are now
svery whit as great events in a man's career, if conducted
upon horseback, as they were half-a-century ago, when
negotiated by train ; and therefore it is not surprising
that the more powerfully-built stallions have of late years
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 35
been less favourably regarded by breeders than their more
bloodlike relatives. At the same time, there can be no
denying the fact that when quality, and quality alone, is
looked for in the Hackney, a great deal of the horse's real
value is being lost sight of in the search. A coarse, under-
bred looking animal should always be avoided by a Hackney
breeder, unless so be that the stallion's pedigree is unimpeach-
able, and his services are required for a light or weedy mare ;
but even then there is the risk in introducing the blood of a
plain-looking sire into a strain, as, however good he may be,
a coachy-looking youngster will always require a great deal
of selling as a saddle horse. Consequently, in the desire of
avoiding the Scylla of too much quality, which so frequently
entails weediness, a breeder must use caution not to wreck
his enterprise upon the Charybdis of " timber," which as
often is attended by so large an amount of substance as to
bring coarseness in its train. It will, therefore, be observed
that the class of Hackney that not only represents the old-
fashioned type the most accurately, and which, moreover, is
certain to command the highest price, is a powerfully-built,
short-legged, big, broad horse, with an intelligent head, neat
neck, strong level back, powerful loins, and as perfect
shoulders as can be produced. Such details as feet and
muscle need scarcely be discussed at present, for it is obvious
that any animal that is deficient in the latter would be unable
to do his work ; whilst, however good a horse may be in
other respects, if his feet are malformed, or too small to carry
him safely, he must clearly be worthless.
Commencing with the head, it may be said of this most
important Hackney point that it should be, comparatively
speaking, wide at the jowl and taper gently towards the
muzzle, the eyes being of a good size, so as to, in conjunc-
tion with the shape and dimensions of the head, convey into
the mind of the observer, an impression of strength, intel-
ligence, and courage, combined with quality. A very small
effeminate-looking headpiece is almost as objectionable in
36 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
a Hackney as a heavy one, the former usually denoting an
absence of resolution combined with softness ; whilst the
latter is frequently accompanied by a sullen, dogged tempera-
ment, which is altogether opposed to the true nature of the
horse. In short, in dealing with the head of this class of
animal, the general symmetry of its conformation should be
studiously regarded, and, therefore, although a small head
is always an attraction, and most properly so, it is ridiculous
to encourage one that would suit a 14 hands horse when
it appears in a Hackney six or eight inches taller. The ears
should be small and pointed, although animals have won
prizes adorned with organs of hearing that would scarcely
have disgraced a lop-eared rabbit, whilst a neat though well-
defined crest is undoubtedly a great beauty in the case of a
stallion.
The neck should be of fair length, nicely bent, and rather
thick at the setting-on, though free from coarseness ; whilst
the chest must be wide, and let down behind the forearms so
as to allow plenty of space for the heart and lungs.
The shoulders of the Hackney, as in the case of all riding
horses, should be free from all that superfluous lumber which
only brings coarseness in its train ; they should lay well back,
and the bones should be long enough, forming as they do the
attachment of the muscle serratus magnus, which connects the
fore limbs and trunk. If these bones are small the muscles
must necessarily be short, and long muscles alone can afford
that flexibility and liberty of shoulder action which is so
characteristic of the Hackney.
The back must be long enough to allow plenty of room
before and behind the saddle, and also very level and strong,
whilst the loins should be compact and the quarters long and
as powerful as possible without being coarse or of that coachy
type which is so distasteful to many judges. The middle
piece of the HacKney is ver, level above and below, the ribs
being well sprung and the back ones ol a n^ce length, so as to
provide those indications of strength which are abvays to be
eagerly sought after.
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 37
The fore legs should be short and very powerful, the arms
being big and muscular, the joints large and the bone below
the knee plentiful and flat ; whilst the pasterns should be of a
fair length, so as to yield elasticity in action, and the feet of
good size and placed straight on under the legs.
The hind legs should possess powerful sound thighs, strong,
well-bent hocks, and ample bone, whilst the tail, which is
set on rather high, should be carried gaily when the horse is
fully extended.
The above short delineation of the leading points of a Hack-
ney may be taken as detailing the chief characteristics of a
successful show animal, but the merit of the description lies,
in the words of Captain Cuttle, in the application of the same.
So many different people view the same features from differ-
ent points of view, that in arriving at a decision upon the
properties of a horse, two judges, although entirely in unison
as regards what they want to find, will often entirely disagree
as to what points importance should be attached to when
called upon to give expression to their ideas in public. Two
excellent authorities have even been known to differ upon the
comparatively easy question of bone, the one avowing that
although the horse was just a trifle light below the knee, he
still possessed enough for all practical purposes, whilst his
colleague declared that the animal was a weed and wholly
unworthy of a prize. Some explanation is, therefore, forth-
coming by the publication of this incident, that will readily
account for the reversal of the decision made by one judge,
by another gentleman whose views are known to be in har-
mony with his views. Briefly, therefore, it may be taken that
in judging Hackneys, two experts, although possessing iden-
tical opinions regarding the points of the breed, may yet fail
signally in attempting to reconcile their practical application
of the ideas they hold.
The structural development of the Hackney having been
considered, a no less important property belonging to the
breed must now be referred to, as a trotter, however speedy
38 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
he may be, is certain to receive but very scant attention from
judges in the show-ring if his action is defective. Any horse,
in fact, loses more than half his value if he fails to " move,"
and there is just as great a difference in the action of animals
as there is variety in the gait of men. The Hackney in one
respect stands alone amongst light horses, as he is, so to
speak, one movement short, for he rarely gallops and relies
entirely upon the trot and walk as methods of locomotion.
The former of these gaits is so entirely characteristic of the
breed, that one can readily believe the truth of the statement
j that many a Hackney can trot faster than he can gallop ; but
be this as it may, it must clearly be understood that no pacing
by which expression the moving of both legs on the same
side of the body simultaneously is implied or ambling is per-
missible in the case of a Hackney, whose trot is a trot pure
and simple, and unassociated with any eccentric exaggeration
whatsoever. In fact, the one, two, three, four, of a true-
actioned Hackney as he pounds along is veritable music in
the ears of an enthusiast, and no breeder of the horse will
ever, it is certain, be prevailed upon to try to do without it.
Hackney action, however, like everything else in this world,
varies in quality, and in this respect, as in all others, judges
have been known to differ very materially in their views,
though none of any position have ever been known to give a
prize to a palpably shoulder-tied horse, and few possibly
would ever dream of breeding from the same. As in the case
of every other breed, the shoulders, knees, and pasterns are all
called upon to contribute to the front action, but in no variety
do the shoulders exercise such important functions as in the
Hackney, and hence the importance that has been bestowed in
the description of his points given above to the length of their
bone, which ensures a good and elastic serratus magnus
muscle. If a horse does not possess this he can never be
free-shouldered, the result being that when he bends his
knees, as he should do, it becomes a case of all action and no
go, which is absolutely useless for every practical purpose,
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 39
for if a trotter does not get away in front all the beauty of
his going is completely lost. Consequently plenty of freedom
and liberty about his shoulders is to be regarded as being
a sine qua non in the selection of a Hackney, not only on the
grounds of the additional grace which such a conformation
imparts to his movements, but because, assuming that his
pasterns are also good, he is far less likely to knock his feet
to pieces against the ground when fairly let go, than he would
be if he only lifts his knees up and smashes them down again
in an almost perpendicular position.
A good knee action is of course essential to the success of
any horse, and the higher they are raised assuming always
that they are straightened again in time to effect that most
peculiar poise which many of the best Hackneys show just
before their fore-feet reach the ground the more generally
the action of the horse will be admired. Exaggerated knee
action is usually only obtained at the expense of freedom at
the shoulder, and few things are more irritating to witness at
a show than a good-looking horse lifting his knees nearly up
to his muzzle, and then putting his feet down in almost the
identical place from which he raised them.
Regarding the use that a horse makes of his pasterns when
he trots, it may be explained that a short upright joint
promotes concussion, and naturally not being so flexible as
a long springy one, is not so readily bent back and then
straightened when the horse is trotting. The feet in the case
of the animal which has good pasterns are in the majority of
cases picked up and put down smoothly and levelly, without
any of that dishing or throwing from side to side which
simply spoils the action of an otherwise fine mover. The
pastern joints are, therefore, it will be seen, valuable co-
operators with the shoulders in providing the Hackney with
the desired front action, and when properly moved by the
animal will be found to assist in bringing the feet down with
that comparative gentleness which contributes so largely to
their remaining in good condition.
4O LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
The stifles and ocks, and of course the pasterns to a
smaller extent, are the joints which regulate the back action
of a horse, the hocks bearing by far the most important
share of the movement when the animal is on the trot.
Naturally the stifles must be moderately bent, else no pace
will be secured, but the chief merit in a Hackney's hind
action is the style in which he moves his hocks. When these
are first well bent, and then brought nicely under his body, a
great amount of extra ground will be covered, and if so be
that his quarters are free from all superfluous lumber, and his
gaskins powerful, his propelling power will then be tremen-
dous. No horse, Hackney or otherwise, can ever get over the
ground at a reasonable pace if he leaves his back legs behind
him, added to which it deprives the action of a Hackney of
the regularity which is its greatest charm, if all the four
limbs do not move in unison. Many good Hackneys possess
a tendency to go very wide behind between the hocks, which
is unsightly, although the act is frequently accompanied by
undoubted speed. It has been stated that a barrow might
almost have been wheeled between the hocks of the Flying
Dutchman when he was fully extended but then it must be
remembered that the great horse in question was not a
trotter, neither does the maker of the observation appear to
have remarked that his action was improved in appearance
by the habit. The development of a propensity to go too
wide behind, although an eyesore, need not necessarily prove
that a Hackney is unsound, and moreover, it is probably in
many instances the result of a mistaken principle in schooling
a young horse, by which he is encouraged to over exert
himself before he is old enough to take any liberties with his
action. Horses that turn in their hind feet ought never to be
passed, whilst in cases when the latter are turned out, the
animal will be found to be more or less cow-hocked, which
likewise is a very serious fault in an animal who should stand
square and move truly above all things.
The principal gait of a Hackney the trot having been
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 4!
discussed, a few observations may now be directed to the
scarcely less important walk, which is so priceless a blessing
when added to the other virtues of a good saddle horse.
There is no compromise about the true Hackney walk, as the
possessor of it steps out all round, throwing his front legs
well before him, and his back ones right under his body in a
style that makes his stride enormous. Many of the leading
Hackney stallions of the present day are by no means good
walkers, and more's the pity, as if they possessed the gift and
transmitted it to their stock it would add most materially
to their worth as sires, and to the value of the youngsters
in the market. Without the least desire to draw invi-
dious distinctions between the respective merits of different
horses, it is impossible, when alluding to the walk of a
Hackney, to avoid drawing the attention of our readers to
the grand walking action of Mr. Tom Mitchell's chestnut
Ganymede, who was bred by Mr. John Wreghitt, in 1888, by
Danegelt, from a mare by one of the numerous Phenomenons
whose names adorn the pages of the Stud Book. A superb
mover in both paces, Ganymede is simply the perfection of a
walker when exhibited in proper condition, which has not
always been his fate. So long as breeders pay attention to
the walk of their horses, they are pretty certain to find a sale
for the animals, as most persons who ride have reason to
appreciate the value of an animal who, when trotting is
impossible, can get over the ground at a good pace.
It is, of course, a self-evident fact that many Hackney
owners never have any occasion or desire to ride their horses,
and in selecting an animal for harness purposes, the great
difficulty in finding the right sort of shoulder is materially
diminished. A shoulder for a riding horse must necessarily
be long if the equestrian expects to secure a comfortable
mount, but neither the length nor the slope of his shoulder is
a matter of such vital importance in the selection of a harness
horse, provided always that each of these required points is
sufficiently developed to ensure that freedom of the shoulder
42 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
that is so essential to good action. That the Hackney is
destined to become ere long a very popular animal in the
capacity of a coach horse, was made evident some time
ago, when Lord Hastings disposed of a pair of gigantic bays,
which had drawn his carriage upon state occasions, and which
were still pure-bred Hackneys. Their great stature, however,
as may be seen by a reference to the observations which have
already appeared above in reference to the height of Hackneys,
should not be a matter of surprise to breeders, who, now that
experienced persons on all sides are doing their utmost to
improve the horse, may reasonably expect to find an increase
of stature amongst the members of their studs. Good food and
careful housing must always lead to the development of an
animal's frame, so long as such benefits are not carried to
extremes, but when a certain height at shoulder say 15.3
hands is reached, every additional fraction of an inch will
be a difficult matter to secure. Exceptional horses, such as
Lord Hastings' bays, will always be appearing, but although
the occurrence of such giants will be more frequent, it will be
many a long day before 16.1 or 16.2 hands comes to be
regarded as anything but an exceptional height in a Hackney.
The question of temper is always an important one in the
selection of a horse for business or pleasure purposes, and it
will usually be found that the more docile an animal is, the
greater will be his courage when the pinch comes, whilst
his value will, of course, be far greater than that of an evil-
dispositioned beast, who at any moment is liable to injure his
owner and stable companions in one of his displays of temper.
Fortunately, for the reputation of the breed to which they
belong, Hackneys are the most amiable of horses, and the
appearance of a vicious stallion in the show ring is almost
unknown amongst exhibitors, but, unhappily, it is neither the
nature nor the breeding of many a savage horse that has made
him what he is. Bad breaking, the tricks of shallow-pated
grooms, and the teasing some youngsters receive from the idle
loafers adult and juvenile who contrive to gain admission
THE HACKNEY HORSE.
43
to the stables, are each and all responsible for many a ruined
temper : whilst the vagaries of a wooden-headed owner, who,
although possessing the hands of a quarryman, is of the
opinion that, because he has paid a long price for a spirited
horse, he must necessarily be able to drive or ride the animal,
have contributed to the ruin of good colts innumerable. If
the owners of a valuable Hackney would only realise the fact
that they have no hands, when they are unfortunate enough
to be so afflicted, they would never lay themselves out to
incur the ridicule that is bestowed upon them by the specta-
tors of their folly, but as matters go they usually are in-
capable of recognising their own imperfections, and thereby
succeed in ruining the prospects of their horse. So perfect,
however, is the temper of most Hackneys that many breeders
who are also farmers ride their stallions regularly about
their fields when the men are at work, and beyond all ques-
tion, when the rider is a horseman, the animal is benefited by
the useful amount of healthy exercise thus afforded him.
The disregard to the condition of their stock, and the cir-
cumstances under which the young ones are reared, that is
evinced by some owners is really appalling ; and creates
surprise amongst those who are acquainted with what the
animals go througth For instance, a stallion, whose action
should be one of his strongest recommendations, is sometimes
brought up to the early show, just before the covering season
commences, so loaded with fat that he can scarcely move ;
and yet the unfortunate animal is expected to take a prize,
and subsequently to travel the country and foal his mares ! He
probably fails in both attempts, and thereby loses his reputa-
tion for looks and as a sire, when under ordinary circum-
stances he would have been able to have done all that was
desired of him. Then in the case of yearlings, they are blown
out upon cake and boiled beans, and other stimulating diets
until they give an old-fashioned admirer of Hackneys the im
pression that they have been prepared for slaughter and not
for show ; whilst most of all the object of this ridiculous treat-
44 LIGHT HORSES '. BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
ment of the youngsters is that they are fed up to look big and
take a prize. It would be interesting to know how many
of these precious juveniles have developed into good horses
by the time when they arrive at a full mouth, but certain
it is, that many disappear from the scene, and are heard of no
more, whilst others get beaten time after time by opponents
who, though behind them as yearlings, had not been forced,
and who, therefore, have come on whilst they themselves
have deteriorated. Doubtless, some yearlings are sold to go
abroad, or into remote parts of the country after they have
scored an early success or two, and with their blushing
honours thick upon them have succeeded in gaining a reputa-
tion in the locality that has served them at the stud in after
life, nor must it be assumed that every prize yearling has been
the victim of injudicious pampering and a heated stable.
Fortunately, all owners are not short-sighted enough to adopt
tactics with their youngsters which will jeopardise the suc-
cess of their future career, and Mr. Henry Moore, of Burn
Butts, the owner of one of the most successful Hackney studs
in the country during the past eight years, is a notable in-
stance of a breeder who brings his young stock up hardy.
The practice of this gentleman is to let his horses lie out all
the winter, the result being that they come up to spring shows
as rough as bears and as hard as nails.
It is, however, questionable whether this system of leaving
horses, and especially young ones out during the existence of
cold weather is a desirable one in all cases, as constitutions
differ, and it is not every owner of a stud who possesses the
knowledge when to bring an animal that is suffering in.
The whole question of turning horses out to grass is one that
appears to be very imperfectly understood by the average
horse owner, who, in many instances, never thinks, or if he
does give the subject a thought, is incapable of forming an
opinion of what he is about. How often for instance, does
one notice during the summer months the horses of some
non-reflecting neighbour turned out during the day and
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 45
brought back to their stables of a night, an arrangement
which effectually secures their being tormented by flies and
the sun when in their paddock, and deprived of the benefit of
all the refreshing morning dews, which cool their feet and
render the grass moist and toothsome. Surely, therefore,
this system of summering horses requires some revision when
any benefit is expected to be derived by the animals from
their short emancipation from the drudgery of active service ;
and it is to be trusted that owners who desire to improve the
condition of their animals will devote a portion of their leisure
to the consideration of the requirements of the latter.
The above few lines, however, must be regarded as being
rather in the nature of a parenthesis, as the question of sum-
mering and wintering horses is scarcely one that can properly
be dealt with upon its merits in this chapter. It was, never-
theless, introduced as being a matter which has much to do
with the constitution of a horse, it being certain that any
animal, which is either pampered when young or improperly
treated when old, is never likely to do itself justice at the
stud, even if its success in the show-yards is not seriously
prejudiced. A Hackney, above all horses, should be of a
robust and vigorous constitution, for whilst admitting that the
exigencies of the age, which regulate the great question of
supply and demand, require a somewhat lighter animal than
was sought for formerly, it must always be remembered that
a Hackney without substance and power has lost two of the
great properties possessed by the breed. It is almost to be
feared, however, that this demand for quality may influence
judges into paying too much attention to animals whose chief
merit is their style and blood-like outline, to the detriment of
the old-fashioned type which made the reputation of the
horse, and will sustain it for all time, if given due encourage-
ment. That some judges go for blood and others for sub-
stance, is rendered obvious by the presence in the same prize
list of animals of both the heavy and light types. Anomalies
of such a description are always to be deprecated as being
46 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
confusing to the public, and bewildering even to experienced
breeders who very naturally may enquire what sort of horse
it is that judges want.
In selecting a Hackney mare, the seeker after the right sort
of animal should always be on his guard against permitting
a very natural regard for that most elastic of all equine
virtues quality to override his judgment, and cause him to
give preference to an animal that looks like being three parts
thoroughbred, over a long, low, heavily-boned mare, who knows
how to use her shoulders and bend her hocks, and whose
pedigree alone should prove that she is bound to throw a Hack-
ney. In the expression of this opinion the writer does not
desire it to be imagined for an instant that he is unappreciative
of the value of blood and style about a Hackney, but at the
same time having often wondered why it is that some judges
give prizes to mares that are almost ladies' hacks, he ven-
tures to suggest with all diffidence that the rage for quality
may be carried a little too far, as there is always a chance of
getting too much even of a good thing.
If a brood mare is too much on the leg and deficient in
bone the probabilities are that a plain, heavy horse will be
selected for her with the idea of ensuring that plenty of sub-
stance shall be about the foal. This is perhaps an inevitable
result of breeding from light mares, but a coarse sire is almost
certain to transmit some of his plainness to his stock. Thus,
as his sons are likely to be bred from in time there is always
a probability, unless their mares are all most carefully se-
lected , of many of their foals throwing back to the plain
grand-sire, and, consequently, a light mare may prove a
medium for introducing coarseness and loss of quality into a
strain, simply on account of the efforts that have been made
by her owner to counteract her own defects. Still, necessity
knows no law, and it often occurs that an owner finds himself
in the awkward position of having to breed from an animal
which he does not really fancy. In such a case, if he is a wise
man, he will be very careful about introducing the blood of the
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 47
result of the cross into his own strain, for it is always safer
to sell a doubtful horse or mare than to breed from it.
The master of a stud is always to be envied, therefore, when
he is able to breed from animals where there is type and
character on both sides, as even though he may not always be
fortunate to discover super-excellence in every foal, he may
feel reasonably certain that his younsters will not be bringing
in faults that may require years to breed out. No expe-
rienced owner will, of course, ever dream of sending a mare
of any kind, let alone a valuable one, to a horse that he has
not seen, or whose pedigree he has not satisfied himself is
right in all respects. All men, however, who raise foals are
not to be regarded as breeders in the highest acceptation of
the term, and will take a nomination to a stallion simply be-
cause he has won a prize, and because they think his stock
will sell. Such people are, nevertheless, acting most unwisely
even in their own interests, for blood is always thicker than
water, and pedigree is sure to tell in the long run. The Hack-
ney would not be the horse he is if the old breeders, whose
staunchness in the past has been the means of saving the
breed from extinction, had not paid attention to details, and
a happy-go-lucky system of stud management will never pay
in the long run.
There is no possible explanation forthcoming to account for
why one horse or mare should be a success in the stud, and
their own brother or sister a perfect failure ; and, therefore, the
safest way to proceed is to put, so far as possible, one's best
mares to tried horses. Still, as the poet Horace, who was a bit
of a farmer himself and a horse breeder, doubtless, very truth-
fully observes, "Fortes creantur fortibus et bonis," and the maxim
is as applicable to Hackneys as it is to any other animals under
the sun. Having no desire to delve once more into the dim
traditions of the past, the writer does not propose to go
further back than the last generation to prove the accuracy of
Horace's observation, and will, therefore, content himself with
selecting Mr. George Bourdass' Denmark H.H.S.S.B. 177,
48 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
and Mr. Philip Triffit's Fireaway H.H.S.S.B. 249, as illus-
trations to go by. These two grand old horses, whose memo-
ries will for ever remain green in the minds of those who love
a Hackney, were both big prize winners twenty years ago and
more, but their victories in the show ring are as nothing com-
pared with the services they subsequently rendered at the stud
to the breed which they adorned whilst alive. The value of a
Denmark mare is notorious amongst Hackney men, and the
old horse also sired the winners of two of the Hackney
Society's Championships Candidate and Connaught the
former of which got the champion M.P., a dual winner of this
honour.
Nor are the big winners of modern times one whit behind
these two old champions in stamping their quality upon their
get, as witness the vast number of prizes that find their way
to the sons and daughters of Mr. W. Flanders' Reality, the
absolute winner of the first Elsenham Challenge Cup, Mr.
Burdett-Coutts' Candidate, the second winner of that event,
and last, but by no means least, of Mr. Henry Moore's
defunct chestnut, Rufus, who, like Reality, succeeded in
winning the second Elsenham Challenge Cup for his owner.
The sudden death of this great horse may be regarded by
breeders as being little less than a calamity, as amongst his
stock that have appeared there is scarcely one that has
failed to be a credit to his illustrious sire one of the best
Hackneys of modern days. All the get of Rufus are long and
low, with plenty of substance, and a heap of Hackney
character and quality about them. Thanks, therefore, to
Mr. Moore's great chestnut, admirers of, and believers in, the
old fashioned Hackney should soon be able to recruit their
studs by a dash of Rufus blood, the value of which should be
inestimable, as he left a good crop of foals behind him, when
he was cut off in his prime a short time ago. Rufus,
although his show career began and ended whilst he was an
inmate of a Yorkshire stable, was by birth a Norfolk horse,
having been bred by Messrs. Peacock and Sons, of Brandon,
THE HACKNEY HORSE. 49
by the chestnut Vigorous, dam Lady Kitty, by Jackson's
Quicksilver. Singularly enough, the county of Norfolk that
home of the Hackney horse has never owned a champion at
any of the Society's Shows until the year 1892, when M.P.
won. This colt, whose great point is unquestionably the
exceptionally fine quality which he possesses, is a son of
Mr. Henry Moore's first champion Candidate, now the
property of Mr. Burdett-Coutts, but who won his great
Islington triumph when shown by his owner and breeder,
Mr. Moore. In addition to Vigorous, East Anglia also
possessed a notable stallion in Mr. C. E. Cooke's chestnut
Cadet, a horse who, if he had never done anything else,
would have gained enduring fame as sire of the famous chest-
nut filly Pepita. Sir Walter Gilbey's County Member, too, a
grand fore-actioned horse and good-looking to boot, stands,
as does Reality, on the borders of East Anglia proper, and
apart from his big achievements in the show ring will always
be remembered as the sire of the champion mare, Nora. Sir
Walter Gilbey, too, is happy in the possession of Danegelt,
1 74 by Denmark, admittedly the most successful Hackney sire
of the age, and a horse that would have done well in the show
ring had he been more frequently exhibited than he was.
Having mentioned the names of the above horses as illus-
trations of the truth of the old saying that like breeds like,
sufficient attention has been drawn to the advisability of
breeding from good-looking sires in preference to plain ones,
so long as the blood is right, and the value of the Hackney as
a cross for other breeds may now be considered.
It may be rank heresy to express such an opinion, but one
cannot help expressing the conviction, that Hackney blood, if
properly and intelligently made use of, would be extremely
likely to improve the breed of modern hunters. Earl Spencer,
at all events, for one, appears to have this view, and his
experiments will undoubtedly be followed with interest by
breeders. Why the Hackney should be decried as a hunter
sire it is hard to see, unless the fear exists in some minds that
4
5O LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
a trotter would be the only result of such a cross, but the
truth of such apprehensions, flattering though they be to the
prepotency of the Hackney, are unquestionably far fetched.
On the other hand, he can instil temper, shoulders, back, loin,
and quarters into his stock, and these qualities are assuredly
desirable acquisitions in the case of a hunter.
Finally, two short words of advice to those who have never
kept a Hackney for general purposes " Try one." He is
strong in constitution, and the best ride or drive horse in
existence, providing that he is properly done by ; therefore,
whilst once more counselling a would-be buyer to be extra
firm on the question of pedigree, in order that when he asks
for a Hackney he may get one, the advice is, go in and pay
a good price for a good horse. You will never regret your
bargain.
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE. COACH HORSES,
CHAPTER III.
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH
HORSES.
THE Cleveland Bay is one of the oldest breeds of English
horses, though the name by which it is now known is of
comparatively recent origin. The Chapman or pack horse,
which is the older name, and by which, until quite^recently,
the breed was known in the more remote of the Yorkshire
dales, which became its principal home, points not only to the
antiquity of the breed, but to its great utility during the earlier
years of our country's history. The breed flourished exceed-
ingly when the roads in more remote parts of the kingdom
were little better than tracks, and when the business of the
country was principally carried on by its means. Active and
powerful, Cleveland Bays were then used as working horses
on the farm as well as to convey corn and other marketable
produce to the various towns, and their masters to " kirk, or
market, feast or fair." In hilly Devonshire and in the north
of Yorkshire they flourished the longest, and now it is in
North Yorkshire and the neighbouring districts alone that
there is anything to be found approaching in type to the
ancient pack or Chapman horse. Many are the theories
which have been promulgated concerning the origin of the
Cleveland Bay, for it will be found more convenient to adopt
the modern name. Amongst others which have been received
and transmitted in a remarkable manner is that which I be-
lieve originated with Professor Low. If he did not originate
52 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
it, it is one which received his sanction, and with which his
name is inseparably connected. This theory is that the
Cleveland Bay is the result of an elaborate system of crossing
between the thoroughbred stallion and the cart mare. It is
singular that such a theory should have received a moment's
credence, either from practical breeders or from scientific men.
In the first place, the shape of the Cleveland Bay points to
the improbability of such a descent, the length, and particu-
larly the long level quarter being such as is never found in
any descendant of the cart horse that I have seen. If Dr.
Knox is correct in assuming that man " cannot even produce
and maintain a new and permanent variety of a barn door fowl,
of a pheasant, of a sheep or of a horse," this theory of a cross
between a thoroughbred stallion and a carting mare falls to
the ground at once, and though I am bound to admit that
Dr. Knox' seems a somewhat sweeping assertion, yet un-
doubtedly physiology points out to us that cross-bred animals
do not breed regularly to type, and that the produce of such
animals is sure in the third or fourth generations, if not earlier,
to revert to the type of one of the original parents. Singularly
enough, too, this atavism generally shows the worst instead
of the best characteristics of the original parent. It may be
said that the fact of the Yorkshire Coach Horse breeding with
such trueness to type and character is a practical refutation
of this proposition. But if the circumstances are examined
they would seem to be a strong confirmation of it. In many
respects, from an anatomical point of view, there is a great
similarity between what is known as the thoroughbred horse
and the Cleveland Bay. There is the same clean flat bone
and well-defined sinew, a similar density of bone, such as is
possessed by no other breed of horses save the thoroughbred
and Arab ; the same level quarters and elegant appearance,
and the same liberty of action, and though in a different
degree, the same hardy constitution and staying power. The
fact that the Yorkshire Coach Horse breeds true to type
and colour, tends to prove in the main that there is some
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES 53
similarity of type between the thoroughbred and the Cleve-
land Bay.
The most feasible theory as to the origin of the Cleveland
Bay breed seems to be that it has been produced, by a
system of natural selection, from the original breed of horses
found in the southern part of the island of Great Britain.
Probably, nay possibly, an Eastern cross may have found its
way into the breed at a very early age. Historical probability
and the experiences of a later generation are all in favour of
such a theory. That there was a powerful and active breed
of horses in the island at the time of the Roman invasion is
an undoubted fact. The heavy war chariots with which the
Iceni discomfited the veteran soldiers of Julius Caesar must
have been horsed with animals possessing size, strength, and
action in a marked degree, possessing, in a word, all those
attributes which are comprised in the modern phrase "qual-
ity." Caesar, we are told, was so impressed with the good
qualities of the British horses that he took some with him to
Rome, and we have the authority of the coinage of King
Cunobelin that horses were much valued in Britain, and the
portraits of horses found on the coins of his reign, though of
course somewhat rude in execution, point to the existence of
a breed of great excellence, not dissimilar in many respects
to the Cleveland Bay.
It has been suggested, and with some show of reason, that
the blood of Eastern horses had been imported into Britain
before the galleys of Caesar set sail from the shores of Gaul.
It is well-known that the Phoenicians carried on a con-
siderable trade with the inhabitants of the southern and
south-western portions of the island, and it was far from im-
probable that they would bring over some of their native
horses for purposes of sale or barter, especially when they
found that the Britons were of a' horsey tendency, and had no
objection to an honest deal. The similarity in type which
existed between the Cleveland Bay and the Devonshire pack
horse has been cited in confirmation of the theory that the
54 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
former is a descendant of the ancient British horse. In York-
shire and in Devonshire have survived the type of the ancient
horse, because in Yorkshire and in Devonshire this type was
more strongly pronounced than in any other part of the coun-
try, and because in Yorkshire and in Devonshire were bred
in the largest numbers the animals which modernised, if I
may use the term, the type of the national horse. The
Eastern blood which the Phoenicians would be the likeliest to
import to Britain would naturally be the Eastern horse of
which they possessed the greatest numbers, that is, the Barb.
Then we know from historical records, that a legion of
the Crispinian horse was stationed at Danum (Doncaster)
during the Roman occupation of Britain, and it is equally
a matter of history that the Crispinian legion was mounted
on Barbs, and it almost goes without saying on stallions of
that breed. That these would be crossed with the mares of
the country may be taken as a matter of course, and the fact
that in the south-western hills and moorlands and the north-
eastern dales there existed until lately two breeds of horses
which were in many respects of the same type and character,
points out strongly that the two breeds must have had a
similar origin, and seems conclusively to knock on the head
the theory of a cross Between the thoroughbred and the
heavy-bodied, feath^gged, and, comparatively speaking,
unwieldy cart hor^^
In order to account for one peculiarity in the Cleveland Bay,
the black points, a theory has been started that the Scan-
dinavian horse, who still has those black points very strongly
accentuated, was responsible for their introduction into the
Cleveland Bay breed, and that his introduction when the
country was over-run by the Saxons and Danes, though not
sufficient to materially alter the type of the native horses, was
sufficient to leave a mark upon them which lasted through
many generations, and which is now gradually dying out.
The theory is a very ingenious one, but it will not hold water
for a moment. In the first place, it is in direct opposition to
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 55
the physiological principle to which I have already drawn at-
tention. The crossing with such a straight- shouldered, under-
sized, crooked-hocked commoner as the Scandinavian horse
must have resulted in lamentable failure. Again, the black
points have been seen by Darwin very strongly denned on a
dun Devonshire pony. The pony not only had the zebra-like
stripes on the legs, and the mark down the back which was
so long a leading characteristic of Cleveland Bays, and which
is now very rarely to be iound, but he also had broad shoulder
marks as well. Darwin describes the pony as a fallow dun
that is, between " a cream and a reddish brown which
graduates into light bay or light chestnut ;" and it is worthy
of notice that it was amongst the light bays that the black
points of the Cleveland were the most frequently found and
the most strongly marked. There are also instances of the
black points being found strongly marked on light bay or
dun cart horses. Racing men speak of Doncaster's black
spots, and these black points which old Cleveland Bay
breeders used to value as such an infallible sign of purity of
blood would seem to be common, in a greater or less degree,
amongst all breeds of horses, and to be in some measure
a reversion to the feral horse.
Leaving the region of theory, we come to the fact that the
existence of a breed of clean -legged active horses, clear of
thoroughbred and carting cross, was acknowledged quite two
hundred years ago. Unfortunately, the men in whose hands
this valuable breed of horses was principally to be found, did
not keep much record of their stock in writing, and it is
therefore on oral tradition that we have principally to rely
for our early history of the Cleveland Bay horse. I have in
my possession a letter which was written some eight years
ago by a man who was fast approaching his eightieth year,
in which he told me he had he'ard his great grandfather speak
of the breed with enthusiasm, and he claimed to have direct
descendants of a breed, the taproot of which had been in the
possession of ancestors still more remote. I have also heard
56 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
the late Mr. Lumley Hodgson than whom no one was better
able to form an opinion, and who was perhaps possessed of
as much horse lore as any man of his time -say that when in
the early years of the century he went buying young horses
in the East Moor Dales, old men used to tell him of the
bright bays, " clear of blood and black," that were recognised
as a pure breed by their forefathers before the days of the
Darley Arabian and the Godolphin Barb. The following
passage from Tuke's "General View of the Agriculture of the
North Riding" is of interest as bearing on this part of the
subject : " Yorkshire has long been famed for its breed of
horses," says he, " and particularly this riding, in almost
every part of which numbers are still bred, the prevailing
species of which are those adapted for the coach or the
saddle. In the northern part of the vale of York the breed
has got too light in bone for the use of farmers, by the intro-
duction of too much racing blood ; but the most valuable
horses for the saddle, and some coach horses, are there bred.
In Cleveland the horses are fuller of boije than those last
described; they are clean, well made, very strong and active,
and are extremely well adapted to the coach and the plough."
Tuke goes on to say that in the southern part of the vale
of York, the Howardian Hills, Ryedale, and the Marishes,
a greater admixture of " black," i.e., carting blood, prevails,
but that the district still produces a considerable number
of coach horses; whilst the East Moorlands, he assures us,
though possessing a hardy and active breed of horses, did
not produce many that were big enough to horse a coach.
One more quotation from Tuke may prove of interest : " The
horses which are sold for the London market, if for the
carriage, are chiefly bay geldings, with but little white on
their legs and faces; those which have much white, with
chestnut, roan, and other unusually coloured horses and
mares, generally do not bear an equal price in the London
market, but, w r ith other slight and undersized horses, are
more sought after by foreigners, and eagerly purchased by
them for exportation."
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 57
Until the earlier years of the eighteenth century, it seems
fair to presume that Coach Horses, or Chapman horses, or
Cleveland Bays, by whatever name we may call them, were
not known as a distinct breed a surmise which an extract
from the Note Book of Sir Walter Calverley, dated January
1 5th, 1670, goes far to confirm. He relates that when he
wanted to use his coach, he horsed it with the lighter
"mears" of the breed used on the farm. From the account
Sir Walter Calverley gives of the performances and behaviour
of these same mares, it seems pretty clear that they were
much more active and lively than the heavy draught horses,
with Flemish blood in their veins, could possibly be. What
was Sir Walter Calverley's custom seems to have been an
universal one in the seventeenth century, and if these lighter
mares were consistently bred from, as they undoubtedly
would be, their lightness and activity would gradually develop
and increase, until they became the chief characteristics of a
practically new breed.
It is worth while for a moment to give some consideration
to the history of the polled cattle in connection with the
development of " new" breeds. On the authority of Youatt,
who was a keen observer, in the year 1750 a proportion of
the Galloway cattle had horns, yet within sixty years of
that time a horned Galloway was scarcely to be found, and
now one is quite unknown, and no breed of domestic animals
breeds so true to type. In a kindred breed, too, the
Aberdeen-Angus, a striking modification of colour has taken
place during the same period. In the middle of the last
century, cattle of a dark red colour were found amongst them,
although not in such numbers as horned cattle were found
amongst the Galloway breed, but the fiat of the pioneers oi
the breed had gone forth that black was to be the colour, and
no animal of any other colour was ever used for breeding
purposes. When considering the probable development of
the Cleveland Bay from the native horse, the question of
spontaneous variation also deserves some consideration. On
58 LIGHT HORSES '. BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
this point Darwin is very clear. " It is probable that seme
breeds," he states, " and some peculiarities, such as being
hornless, &c., have appeared suddenly owing to what we
may call in our ignorance spontaneous variation," and that
through selection in breeding, these spontaneous variations
have come to possess a powerful hereditary tendency. " It
is admitted by all authorities," say the authors of an
invaluable work on Polled Cattle, " that while deviations
from the original or typical form or race of animals may
arise spontaneously, some sort o: artificial method or selec-
tion in breeding is necessary to impart to those spontaneous
and isolated deviations such fixity of character, or strong
hereditary power, as would insure their perpetuation."
It seems only reasonable to suppose that the Cleveland
Bay may have had its ori b !n in a similar natural selection
as that which has developed the Galloway and the Aberdeen-
Angus cattle. Such an origin would be far more consonant
with the principles of physiology than any elaborate system
of crossing, and the prepotency of the Cleveland Bay seems
to confirm the fact that the breed has been produced in some
such manner as I have suggested. There are writers who,
anxious to account for every characteristic and good quality
which the breed possesses by deriving it from some other
source, maintain that the hardihood of constitution, the
courage, and the activity of the Cleveland Bay could only
spring from a strong infusion of Eastern or thoroughbred
blood. But the native breed of horses was undoubtedly
hardy in constitution, very active, and possessed of com-
paratively a fair turn of speed. It was especially valued by
patriotic Englishmen, and so late as 1739 the introduction of
Eastern horses into England was bitterly deplored in a
curious article to be found in the Gentleman's Magazine. The
writer, speaking of horse-racing, says: "The original de-
sign of this entertainment was not only for sport but to
encourage a good breed of horses for real use, and the Royal
Plates are supposed to be given for that purpose, the horses
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 59
being obliged to carry heavy weights ; but alas ! how are
these intentions perverted ; our noble breed of horses is
now enervated by an intermixture with Turks, Barbs, and
Arabians, just as our modern nobility and gentry are de-
bauched by the effeminate manners of France and Italy."
The fact that English horses possessed courage, speed, and
endurance, as well as strength, is sufficiently proved by Mr.
Joseph Osborne, in his interesting introduction to the " Horse
Breeder's Handbook," and therefore it is not necessary to look
for the origin of the courage and hardy constitution of the
Cleveland Bay to the Arab or the Barb ; and indeed stallions
of either breed would not be likely to be within the reach of
Cleveland Bay breeders.
But that an occasional cross of the thoroughbred was
introduced is by no means improbable, though it is remarkable
that an instance of its occurrence is not found in any historical
record of the breed. It is none the less remarkable that those
who tell us that the modern Cleveland Bay is the result of
crossing with the thoroughbred and the carting mare, are
especially careful to avoid naming the thoroughbred or to give
any reliable data about such crossing. Still there can be little
doubt that an occasional cross of blood was accidentally or
designedly admitted into the breed. In later years rumours to
this effect were extant, and in one instance a prize was with-
held on this account, but the rumour may be taken for what it
was worth ; for when the owner of the disqualified animal
sued for the prize in the County Court, as eventually he did,
those who stated that the so-called Cleveland Bay was by a
thoroughbred signally failed to prove their case. The proba-
bility is, that if the thoroughbred cross was introduced, it
would be in the middle of the last century. Any introduction
of alien blood in later years would be sure to be known, and
indeed there would have been no object in hiding it, as, until
very lately, Coach Horses were more valuable than Cleveland
Bays. One thing that points to the introduction of thorough-
bred blood at the time I name, is that records state how well
6O LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
some men were carried to hounds by their pure-bred Cleve-
lands in the latter part of the eighteenth and the commence-
ment of the present century ; and although hounds did not go
quite so fast then as they do now, the country was principally
undrained, and consequently a " bit of blood " would be
required to get through the deep ground in the style which the
old stories tell us these Cleveland Bays did.
Probability points to a thoroughbred named Traveller as
having had something to do with imparting fresh quality and
courage to the Cleveland Bay. On many of the cards and
bills of the older stallions the pedigree is traced back to a
certain Old Traveller, and then stops. There is no pedigree
of the Old Traveller given, and as is usual with old stallion
bills, the language is obscure, and the identification of horses
named becomes a matter of difficulty. But the constant re-
currence of the name of Old Traveller in the old bills would
seem to point out that he was some well-known and highly-
appreciated horse ; and a thoroughbred horse of that name
a thoroughbred horse that was afterwards to make a great
reputation at the stud did travel in the neighbourhood of
Yarm, in the middle of the eighteenth century, serving mares
at a nominal fee. And it must be borne in mind that Yarm
was in the very heart of the country where Cleveland Bays
most flourished. In after years many famous horses were
bred within a few miles of what was then one of the most
important towns in the Vale of Cleveland, a town whose horse
fair, though now decayed and of little importance, was at one
time one of the most important in the north one, moreover,
at which Cleveland Bays were to be found in greater numbers
than at any other fair, excepting Northallerton. Taking these
facts into consideration, together with the fact that a thorough-
bred horse was serving mares in the vicinity at a nominal fee
always an important affair in a country district, and more
especially so in those days and it is not difficult to imagine
how this Old Traveller might have done much in imparting
quality to the produce of the Cleveland Bay mares of the
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 6l
district. Horses of which he was the sire, and of whom no
record remains, may have been kept as stallions and trans-
mitted his stoutness and quality to another generation ; mares
by him may have, and probably they did become, famous as
brood mares, and their stock would probably show more than
k ordinary elegance and style.
It is interesting to pause for a moment and recall this
famous old horse. He was bred in 1735 by Mr. Osbaldeston
the grandfather of the well known " squire," who was after-
wards to make such a name in the world of sport and was a
bay colt by Partner, dam by Almanzor. Out of the six races
in which he took part, and of which a record exists, he won
four, and was disqualified for another on account of a cross,
and it certainly seems curious that after so successful a
career on the Turf he should come to be travelling in a
country district at a very nominal fee. Fortunately some
of his half-bred stock showed promise, the Duke of Cleveland
fand Mr. Shafto sent some good mares to him, and he became
the sire of Dainty Davy, Squirrel, Lass of the Mill, and other
good race horses.
In the middle of the eighteenth century horses of the highest
character stood at remarkably low fees ; indeed, well into the
middle of the present century, classic horses were occasionally
to be found whose fees for half-bred mares did not exceed two
guineas and a half. It is therefore not unlikely, nay, it is
very likely, that occasionally a man might cross some highly
prized mare with one of these horses. But it is remarkable that
in few of the old pedigrees that I have examined have I ever
seen the acknowledgment of a foreign strain of blood. It
seems to have been looked upon with a certain degree of sus-
picion even in those days, and though it may have been of
occasional, it was by no means of frequent, occurrence. The
traditions of the old breeders who boasted of their long line
of horses in whose veins was neither "blood nor black " were
in the main respected, and though there might be an occa-
sional use of the thoroughbred, I am inclined to think that
62 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGIEMENT.
except when for the avowed purpose of developing the Coach
Horse breed, such crossing was very little resorted to.
In the middle and latter part of the eighteenth century and
in the earlier years of the present century, the whole of the
agricultural work in the Vale of Cleveland was practically
performed by Cleveland Bays. The surface of the country
presented a very different aspect to what it does now ; there
was a larger proportion of grass, and the Cleveland Bay was
powerful enough to do all the work of the farm. Indeed, I
should very much question if, in the heart of Cleveland, the
draught horse in anything approaching his modern type was
known at all until the present century was eight or ten years
old. With the wars which were the direct result of the French
Revolution, the value of wheat and other cereals rose to famine
prices, and when oats sold, as they did sell, at 6s. 6d. per
bushel, whilst wheat made as much as a guinea, it was not to
be wondered at that farmers and landowners equally were eager
to grow corn wherever corn could be grown, and that they
hastened to convert into tillage much of the good grass land in
the Vale of Cleveland. Nor were they content with turning
their pasture into tillage. Bleak and apparently inaccessible
places places more adapted for the growth of larches, or
even Scottish firs, than corn were broken up and sown with
wheat. Indeed, the memory of one of these rash enterprises
is preserved in the Ordnance map by its name of Bold Ven-
ture. A sweeping change like this, as a matter of course,
brought other changes in its track. Farmers who were resi-
dent in the neighbourhood of Stokesley used to take their corn
to Thirsk market, a distance of some twenty miles over not
the best of roads, and then they began to fancy that they
required a heavier and more powerful horse. The land which
had been converted into arable was also found to be a strong
clay, and on this account again the farmers thought that they
required a heavier breed of horses. So they crossed their
fine Cleveland mares with such cart horses as they could get,
with a result that was disastrous, and which indeed nearly
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 63
proved to be fatal to the existence of the Cleveland Bay as a
distinct breed. Another circumstance which took place about
the same time also did much harm. This was nothing more
than a change of fashion. It became the rage to drive in
curricles big upstanding horses, approaching and sometimes
exceeding seventeen hands in height ; and to meet the pre-
vailing fashion fine Cleveland mares were mated with leggy,
flash - topped thoroughbred horses to a very considerable
extent. These causes, coming together at the same time as
they did, nearly put an end to the pure bred Cleveland Bay.
This crossing of the leggy thoroughbred with the Cleveland
mares was also, in the opinion of the late Mr. Lumley
Hodgson, responsible for another evil ; and he traced the
great increase of roaring to this cause. Animals bred this way
with their fine "rainbow necks" were, of course, peculiarly
liable to this disease, and as many of them were kept as sires,
and, moreover, were largely used, it is not improbable that a
large proportion of the roaring which is found amongst Coach
Horses and Cleveland Bays in the present day may have had
its origin in the fashion for over-sized curricle horses which
sprung up in the days of the Regency. I have heard it stated
that previous to the time when this " crossing " took place,
roaring and its concomitant diseases were unknown amongst
Cleveland Bays. I give the tradition for what it is worth, and
cannot say that I place much credence in it. There is no
doubt that many horses which were considered sound a
hundred years ago would not pass the stricter examina-
tions of the present day successfully, and perhaps this may
account for the tradition.
Referring to the decadence into which the breed had fallen
from causes enumerated above, the Farmers' Magazine for
1823 says, speaking of the Cleveland Bay: " It was the basis
of the old London coach horse, when heavier cattle were used
for those conveyances ; and after the fashion became to adopt
a lighter horse for carriages, this valuable breed was allowed
to become almost extinct, till their excellence for agricultural
64 LIGHT HORSES ! BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
purposes was noticed by some practical farmers in the north
of England, who for several years back have been exerting
themselves to revive the breed."
It is a subject for deep regret that more is not recorded of
the efforts of these astute and far-seeing gentlemen, to whom
subsequent generations are so much indebted. Unfortunately
they lived in an age when little importance was attached to
the recording of facts connected with stock breeding and
agriculture. Newspapers were scarce; what agricultural
literature there was, was published in London, then quite
out of touch with North Yorkshire farmers ; and it was im-
possible for the local newspapers, which were in existence in
those days, to devote any attention to the subject. Indeed,
those who were most interested did not consider it necessary
to make any notes themselves, and pedigree seems to have
been thought of so little importance, that even the names
of the sires of Mr. Masterman's famous horses, Skyrocket,
Summercock, and Forester, are unrecorded ; neither is it
possible to more than approximate the date at which they
flourished. Tommy Masterman, a Cleveland farmer, was
one of those who took an active part in the revival of the
Cleveland Bay breed, and his exertions in this direction
were so highly appreciated that he was presented with a
testimonial by his friends and neighbours. This took the
form of a silver cup, value 10, which was presented in
1820, and the inscription on which states that it was given in
recognition of the service which Mr. Masterman had rendered
in keeping first-class sires. I have also heard it asserted that
the name of Skyrocket was mentioned in the inscription, and
from common report Skyrocket seems to have been the best
of Mr. Masterman's horses. Some years ago I made every
effort to trace the owner of this cup, but without avail. A
portrait of Skyrocket was once extant, but I have been unable
to discover it ; and I am informed that the old signboard of
the public house at Nunthorpe, in Cleveland, was a copy
of this picture. This public house is now done away with,
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 65
the sign has long been destroyed, and the only portrait of
Skyrocket which is in existence is engraved on a glass in the
possession of my brother, the said glass being one of half-a-
dozen which Mr. Masterman had engraved. The portrait,
which can scarcely be expected to be an accurate likeness of
the horse, shows him to have been of exceptional quality, in
many respects not unlike a thoroughbred horse. He is also
represented as short of substance, and it is highly probable
that the artist had drawn considerably on his imagination, as
is frequently the case with portraits of our older horses. The
horse is nicely turned, and has a remarkably fine outline.
Another gentleman who did much for the breed was the
late Mr. John Richardson, of Langbarough Hall, near Great
Ayton. Mr. Richardson was an enthusiastic breeder, and
spent much time and money in endeavouring to raise the
standard of Cleveland Bays. Strange to say, although he
bred many stallions, he does not seem to have had any of
any great merit with the exception of Drainer, from whom
descend many famous horses and mares, amongst the latter
Tommy Peart's Darling. But Mr. Richardson's mares
achieved a wide celebrity, and perhaps no man did more in
his day than he to bring the breed into prominence.
About the same time Cleveland Bays were taken into both
north and south, with a view to the improvement of other
breeds, and the results alike in Scotland and the south-
western counties were highly satisfactory. Indeed the breed
was recognised and valued all over the country, and those
practical farmers in the north, of whom the Farmers 1 Magazine
spoke, were amply rewarded for their enterprise and energy.
From the time of which I have been speaking, up to the year
1867, Cleveland Bays flourished exceedingly, and there seemed
to be no likelihood of the breed again falling into desuetude or
decay. Mr. Hansill, Mr. Thomas Peart, Mr. York, of Worsall,
Mr. John Smith, of Long Newton, the late Mr. Robinson
Watson, Mr. John Robinson, of Hutton Rudby, and others,
bred largely, and were the owners of valuable animals. But
5
66 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
in 1867 came a reaction, as a reaction had come earlier in the
century, and singularly enough, the heavy cart horse had
something to do with the reaction which set in twenty-five
years ago. The Cleveland iron trade had increased with
leaps and bounds, and in other seven years was to reach its
zenith. The demand for heavy horses, adapted for drawing
heavy loads on the roads and in the mines, became larger and
larger with each succeeding year, and prices for them were
abnormal. The great improvement in the breeding of cart
horses, which began to manifest itself about this time also,
gave an additional impetus to the breeding of heavy cart
horses, and Cleveland Bays were gradually more and more
neglected. The foreigners came in, and bought what they
could of the best, and the men who kept their mares, bred
hunters from them, and crossed them out of recognition.
Cleveland Bay classes ceased to fill, and finally were, with
one or two exceptions, dropped out of the prize schedules
altogether, and it seemed as if the breed must become
extinct.
But when things are at the worst they not infrequently
begin to mend. At any rate that was the case with the
Cleveland Bays. At the very time when Englishmen gene-
rally looked upon the breed with feelings akin to contempt,
there was a growing idea in the United States that this was
the class of horse that was wanted in their country, and just
when the fortunes of this valuable breed were at their lowest
ebb, when only after a warm discussion and a close division
was it possible to retain even a couple of Cleveland Bay classes
in the representative Society of the district, there was begin-
ning in a very modest way, it is true that trade with the
United States which has since increased to large dimensions.
In the dales about Whitby, and running down to the east
coast of the North Riding of Yorkshire, the Cleveland Bay
had been tenaciously preserved. The farmers there were
proud of their horses, the breed of which had been in their
families for generations, and they never took kindly to the
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 6j
Clydesdale, or Shire horse, whose " feather " they looked on
and still look on with dislike. It is to this tenacity of pur-
pose that we owe the existence of the Cleveland Bay as a
distinct breed at the present day. Mr. Hindson, of Ugthorpe,
who has had a capital strain of Cleveland Bay horses all his
life, kept some good stallions, and his example was followed
by Mr. John Welford, who, like Mr. Hindson, has always
owned a stud of high class Clevelands. Then the Right Hon.
James Lowther came to the rescue, and not only purchased
Fidius Dius at the Guisbrough Park sale, but set to work to
get some good mares together. Amongst others he purchased
the descendants of the mares that had been bought for Earl
Fitzwilliam by the late Admiral Chaloner a purchase which
has proved a distinct gain, not only to Mr. Lowther's stud,
but to the country, for the best blood in the country ran in
the veins of the mares which hailed from Coollatin. They
were by Brilliant, an elder brother of Captain Cook, who was
very successful both in the show ring and at the stud, and a
son of Harry York's Wonderful Lad and Mr. Peart's famous
mare Darling. So that when the time came that Cleveland
Bays were wanted, there were plenty to be found. Not that
they were there in any great numbers at first. Men were not
so careful about breeding them as they are now, and many of
the mares were mated with thoroughbred horses, with the
object of breeding hunters ; but there were quite plenty 'of
mares, and stallions too, to form the nucleus of a breed.
The revival of the general interest in Cleveland Bays may
be said to date from 1883. In the previous year it had taken
all Mr. T. Parrington's influence to get a class for Cleveland
Bay mares inserted in the prize schedule of the York Meeting
of the Royal Agricultural Society, and only one mare was
exhibited. This was Mr. W. D. Fetch's Fanny, a mare that
he sold to Mr. A. E. Pease, and that subsequently found a
home in the Brookfield stud.
But if Fanny was the only exhibit, she was a very useful
specimen of the breed, and the judges considered her worthy
68 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
of the first prize ; "only one entry, very good," being their note
on the class in the official report. She was then eight years
old, was full of bloom, and combined quality and substance in
a manner that was unknown to many visitors to the Royal
Show. No wonder, then, that she was the object of consider-
able attention.
In this same year, too, the rivalry between Mr. Codling's
Blossom and Mr. Welford's Madam began to attract the
notice of show-yard visitors. Both were Cleveland Bays of
good pedigree, both were fine movers, and had remarkable
quality ; so when at the latter end of the year 1883, attention
began to be called to the merits of the old breed, the public
mind in the north of England, at any rate was to a certain
extent educated on the subject.
The formation of the Cleveland Bay Horse Society, in
January of the following year, consolidated and gave expres-
sion to that vague feeling which had been growing, that the
Cleveland Bay was a breed to be cultivated.
Since then the breed has increased in numbers in a satis-
factory manner. All over the country gentlemen have begun
to breed high class Clevelands. In Northumberland and in
Hampshire, in Essex, and in the neighbourhood of London
good studs are to be found. But perhaps even more marked
than the increase in numbers is the improvement in quality
which has taken place. It has been a frequent remark
amongst exhibitors of late that animals have no chance of
winning now, that eight or ten years ago would have won
readily enough, and good judges have stated that the average
merit of the young animals in the Cleveland Bay classes was
higher than they ever remembered to have seen, and their
memory extends over many years. It is satisfactory to note
that the improvement which has been effected in our other
breeds of horses has taken place in the Cleveland Bay breed
in quite as conspicuous a manner, and it may now be fairly
hoped that it will never again run the narrow risks of becom-
ing extinct that it has done in the past.
f
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 69
The Cleveland Bay is the embodiment of quality and sub-
stance combined. In height he stands from 16.1 to 16. 2j
or 16.3, rarely exceeding the latter or falling short of the
former height. He stands on a short leg, his shoulders slope
well, his back and loins are strong, and his quarters are long,
level and muscular. Indeed, the elegance of the quarters
and the set on of the tail are amongst the distinguishing
features of the breed. His head is rather plain, but it is a
good lean head, and is well carried. The bone is flat and
clean, the legs devoid of hair or nearly so, and the sinew is
clearly denned. In many respects the shank bones of the
Cleveland Bay, the thoroughbred, and the Arab resemble
each other. The shape and density of the bone, and the
clearness with which the sinew stands out are particulars
in which the resemblance may be noticed, and although it
would perhaps be too much to say that in density of bone
the Cleveland Bay equals the thoroughbred or the Arab, it
can be asserted with confidence that he stands far in advance
of any other breed.
The action of the Cleveland Bay is one of his strong
points. There is no " snap of the knee " such as is seen in
the Hackney, or at any rate there is very little, and what
little there is, is in all probability the result of training. But
the shoulder action is excellent both in the walk and trot, in
the latter pace not being unlike that of the thoroughbred. The
hocks are well flexed and got well underneath the body, and
as the Cleveland Bay covers a lot of ground it is easy to see
that he can travel at a good pace. But it is necessary that
he should possess substance as well as style, for one of the
most useful purposes to which he can be put is farm work.
The measurements of a Cleveland stallion which Mr. J. B.
Lloyd took into Gloucestershire in 1827, gives a good idea
of a typical specimen. "When old Cleveland," says Mr.
Lloyd, " was at his full size he measured 16 h. i in. high,
g| in. round the pasterns, 10 in. round below the knee,
21 in. round the arm, 15^ in. round the knee, and 6 ft. 10 in
7O LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
round the girth. When measured he was in good condi-
tion, but not what you would call full of flesh ; his legs as
clean as a race-horse."
I fancy Cleveland must have been an exceptionally power-
ful horse, and as he was purchased with the avowed object of
improving the breed of agricultural horses in Gloucestershire,
it is probable that this was the case. At any rate, such a
measurement as 10 inches below the knee, is, I should say,
extremely rare in the present day.
As the name of the breed would seem to imply, the colour
is bay, the legs a good black, and although a small white
star, or a few white hairs on a hind heel are not an infallible
sign of alien blood, they are regarded as an eyesore; and
unless they are very small indeed, so small as to be scarcely
visible, the sale of an animal possessing them is very much
affected thereby. The black points are of rare occurrence
now-a-days. They consist of black, zebra-like stripes on the
arms and thighs, just above the knees and hocks. Occa-
sionally there is a black stripe down the back or a black or
dark spot or two on the quarter, the black stripe being
generally found on horses of a light bay colour, whilst the
stripes and marks on the quarter have been more generally
associated with animals of a darker colour.
Some misapprehension seems to exist respecting the colour.
It is said by some that the bright golden bay is the only colour
which is admissible and that a darker colour implies the exist-
ence of alien blood, but such an idea is manifestly erroneous.
From the golden bay, and even the fawny bay, to the dark bay
the difference is only one of degree, and it is difficult to see
why a prejudice should exist against a dark bay. Darwin's
conclusions on the subject of colour are so clear, and seem to
have so much bearing on the qucestio vexata, of light and dark
bay, and the dappling of which so much is made in some
quarters, that I quote them :
" Horses occasionally exhibit a tendency to become striped
over a large part of their bodies, and as we know that stripes
v - r ' r * -
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. Jl
readily pass into spots and cloudy marks in the varieties of
the domestic cat and several feline species even the cubs of
the uniformly coloured lion being spotted with dark marks
on a cloudy ground we may suspect that the dappling of the
horse, which has been noticed by some authors with surprise,
is a modification or vestige of a tendency to become striped. "*
This would seem effectually to dispose of the statement
made in many quarters that a dark or dappled bay is a sign
of alien blood, which, coming from men who insist strongly on
the " black points " as a sign of exceptional purity of breed, is
surely inconsistent. At the same time it must be borne in
mind that although the darker coloured horses may be well-
bred ones, and trace their descent for many generations through
famous horses and mares, the bright bay is much to be
preferred, and for many generations the opinion has prevailed
that this is the colour par excellence.^
In concluding this description of the Cleveland Bay, especial
attention should be called to his hardihood of constitution.
No pampering is required ; he will do his share of work for
many years, and perhaps few breeds of horses are so noted
for longevity or are such prolific breeders. If it were neces-
sary to describe the Cleveland Bay in a word, it would be
done by designating him the general utility horse, a name
by which I believe he was at one time known in some parts of
the United States. As a matter of fact no work that he can
be put to comes wrong to him, except, of course, fast work,
for which he is not adapted. In the plough, on light or
medium land, he will work the heavier Shire or Clydesdale to
a standstill, his superior activity giving him the pull ; and he
will always come home with his head and tail up. Even on
* "Animals and Plants under Domestication," vol. i., p. 56.
t As bearing on the question of light and dark colours in horses, it may be
of interest to mention an instance of change of colour which happened to a
horse of my own. He is a hunter, and is now (1894) six years old. In the
spring of 1893 he was a red chestnut, approaching to sandy. He is now a dark
liver chestnut. W. S. D.
72 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
strong clays, Cleveland Bays have been known to hold their
own, as the following anecdote goes to prove. In the early
part of the century a large farmer moved from the neighbour-
hood of Darlington to Northumberland, and as a matter of
course, he took his Cleveland Bay horses with him. Then, as
now, Northumberland was the home of the heavy and power-
ful draught horse, and the Northumbrians justly prided them-
selves on the excellent breed of horses they possessed. It
was only to be expected that they would hold the compara-
tively light horses of their new neighbour in derision, and
they were very free in their criticism of his teams. But
the new comer was not to be chaffed with impunity, and one
market night he was stung into challenging the country to a
ploughing match. His challenge was speedily accepted, and
the terms, which were very simple, were arranged without a
hitch. They were as follows. Each party was to produce a
pair of horses on the following Monday morning, and they
were to plough from Monday morning till Saturday night, the
pair which had ploughed the most land in the time to be
declared the winner, the stakes being 50 a side. On
Monday morning they commenced to plough accordingly, but
before Wednesday night the heavier horses had had quite
enough of it, and the Cleveland Bays were declared the
winners. Though I should scarcely be inclined to recom-
mend the modern Cleveland Bay for heavy farm work on the
strongest clays, yet there is no farm on which an active
Cleveland Bay mare cannot be made to pay her way, and pay
her way well. The countless jobs which require activity
rather than massive strength, and which it would be tedious
to enumerate, are much better done by an animal of this type
than by a Clydesdale or Shire horse. In olden times Cleve-
land Bays have been used on occasion as hunters, but with
the pace hounds run now-a-days that occupation for them is
out of the question. They are still, however, occasionally
used as carriage or dog-cart horses, and if not so showy as the
Hackney or so stylish as the blood Coach Horse, they have
UNIVERSITY
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES 73
a good appearance and get over the ground in a creditable
fashion.
It has been said that there is no breed of horses leaving,
of course, the racehorse out of the question which a cross
with the Cleveland Bay will not improve, and the Cleveland
Bay has been likened to the Shorthorn and the Leicester
sheep, as the best foundation on which to commence crossing.
Indeed, it is the value of the Cleveland Bay brood mare in
this direction which is a constant source of danger to the
breed. Men buy well-bred mares, cross them with the
thoroughbred, or in some instances with the Hackney ; they
are satisfied with the result of their enterprise, and keep
breeding on the same lines, getting valuable horses such as
they require, but running a great risk of " killing the goose
that lays the golden egg." A pure-bred foal or two should
always be taken from well-bred mares, for it is little short of
a national loss when any famous strain of blood, to whatever
breed it may belong, becomes extinct. In breeding Cleveland
Bays great care should be taken in selecting mares and sires
with good shoulders. In this respect there can be little
doubt that the breed had to a considerable extent deteriorated
before the revival of interest in it which took place about ten
years ago. Yet it is a point, the importance of which it is
impossible to overrate. There are some people I know who
hold that a nicely sloping shoulder is not an essential for a horse
whose work has to be done in harness and at the draught, but
with this opinion I cannot agree. A well-placed shoulder not
only adds greatly to the general symmetry of a horse, but it
is a distinct advantage to him in doing his work, whatever
that work may be. If a horse's shoulder is improperly placed
there must be an undue strain on the forelegs, so by all means
be particular about the shoulders of both sire and dam. Then
there is a special reason for being particular about the shoulders
of Cleveland Bays. Cleveland Bay mares are frequently used
to breed weight-carrying hunters from, and good shoulders
are an important factor in carrying a heavy man.
74 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
About the breeding of hunters from a Cleveland Bay mare,
great difference of opinion exists. Some assert that animals
bred in this way are soft and useless as hunters. That is
certainly at variance with the experience of many well-known
hard riders in Yorkshire, men who can hold their own in any
country. The late Lord Middleton had a famous mare named
Magic, who was the daughter of a Cleveland Bay, and some
descendants of hers are still to be found in the Birdsall stables,
and right good hunters they are. If it is desired to breed
hunters from a Cleveland Bay foundation, in the first place a
short-legged wide mare with good shoulders and back should
be selected. A mare answering this description can be found
with a little trouble. Then comes the more difficult task
of selecting a suitable stallion with which to mate her. The
prevailing partiality I had almost said craze for a big horse
is to be carefully avoided. Neither do I consider that the
bone measurement is of paramount importance. The sire I
should choose to cross with Cleveland mares should certainly
not exceed 15.3, and I should like him no worse if he did not
exceed 15.2. Quality would be the great thing required. His
head and neck must be well set on, and above everything his
shoulders must be well placed and muscular, and his back
loins and quarters powerful. The shape and quality of the
bone would be considered rather than its size, and his action
would be also of more importance in my eye than his capacity
to carry weight according to the recognised standard. Such
a horse as I have endeavoured to describe was Perion, who
was perhaps the sire of more good hunters than any horse of
his generation.
It has been considered by men of experience that the
second cross from the Cleveland mare produced the best
hunters, and there can be no doubt that they have more
quality, and amongst horses bred this way are to be found
the best-looking and hardiest animals, of course, always
excepting thoroughbreds. In mating a mare by a thorough-
bred sire from a Cleveland mare, rather a different stamp of
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 75
sire may be required. In the first place, size and substance
should receive more consideration. But every pains must
be taken to avoid using a horse with long cannon bones or
weak pasterns, however good he may be in any other respect.
Special care should also be taken to avoid a horse at all light
in the loin, or with a tendency to be deficient in his 'back ribs.
Perhaps a better example of the successful management of
a Cleveland brood mare would be difficult to find than that
of Mr. Thomas Peart's famous old mare, Darling, a great
show-yard celebrity during the latter half of the fifties and
the first half of the sixties. Peart's Darling bred fifteen
foals, of which six were stallions of some repute. Two of
these were named Brilliant, one of them the sire of Sports-
man and other good horses, whilst from his brother descend
many mares of exceptional excellence. Master Thomas was
another that did good service in Belgium, and Lord of the
Manor who was exported to India by Mr. George Holmes,
the well-known Beverley veterinary surgeon, was considered
by him to be one of the best horses of the breed he ever saw.
Captain Cook and Rosebery were also horses of great excel-
lence .that were very successful both in the show yard and at
the stud, but the first foal Darling had was to a thoroughbred
horse, and it came about in this way : she was sent to
Wonderful Lad when a two year old, but as she missed to
him Mr. Peart had her covered by Perion. The following
year she bred a filly foal which ultimately became the
property of Mr. H. W. Thomas, of Pinchinthorpe. That
gentleman sent her to Newport, and to him she bred a famous
horse that was purchased by Mr. John Harvey, the Master of
the Durham County Hounds, and that earned a well-deserved
reputation as a hunter, being fast, a good stayer, and of ex-
traordinary constitution.
76 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
THE YORKSHIRE COACH HORSE.
The Yorkshire Coach Horse owes his origin, according to
the late Mr. Lumley Hodgson, to the fashion for driving big
upstanding horses, reaching up to lyh. 2ms., in curricles in the
early part of the century. To what he termed this pernicious
fashion, Mr. Hodgson attributed in a great measure the deca-
dence in the Cleveland Bay breed which took place early in
the century, and about the time that these big, flash, half-bred
horses came to be used as sires. Continual breeding from
these half-bred horses, which were Mr. Hodgson's pet aver-
sion, has, however, eventually developed a type of horse which
breeds very true both as to colour, conformation and general
characteristics. There is a tendency in the Yorkshire Coach
Horse to a loss of substance. Quality is maintained and even
improved upon, but the general tendency is to a loss of
width and bone. This, however, is now very much checked
owing to the action of the Yorkshire Coach Horse Society.
Previous to the establishment of that Society in 1886, any-
thing was recognised as a Coach Horse that at all conformed
to the type, and a horse with" two or three crosses of thorough-
bred blood was not infrequently used as a Coaching stallion,
whilst half-bred horses horses that is with a direct cross of
thoroughbred blood were quite commonly used. It is easy to
see that such a method of breeding, if indeed method it could
be called, must tend to a loss of substance ; and frequent re-
course had to be had to Cleveland Bays to correct this very
serious defect. The favourite plan was to put a Coaching
mare of fine quality to a Cleveland stallion with action and
substance ; and the result of such a cross was generally, nay,
almost always, satisfactory. But since the establishment of
the Coach Horse Society the Yorkshire Coach Horse has been
placed upon a very different footing. For a time the Society
recognised the horses with a thoroughbred cross, but soon
the question of type, and loss of size forced itself on the at-
tention of the Council, and the lines of admission to the Stud
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. 77
Book were drawn much closer, and nothing with the direct
thoroughbred cross was admitted." The pure bred Cleveland
Bay is however recognised as a Coach Horse, probably because
of the fact to which I have already alluded, viz., that the best
Coach Horses happen to be a cross between the Yorkshire
Coach Horse and the Cleveland Bay. How far such a policy
is expedient is a question which I do not propose to enter into
here. I may say, however, that it certainly does appear ano-
malous that an animal can be entered in two stud books as
pure bred. The similarity in many physiological respects of
the breeds which have been crossed to produce the Yorkshire
Coach Horse does, however, seem to give colour to what, in
the case of any other breeds, would appear to be little else
than meaningless and arbitrary.
The Coach Horse, though by no means boasting of so
ancient an origin as the Cleveland Bay, yet has a claim to
respectable antiquity, and is much older than many of our
breeds of domestic animals. For fully a hundred years he
has had a recognised existence, and prizes were given for him
in Howdenshire as early as 1805. It is somewhat curious
that on some of the old stallion cards the term " Cleveland
Coach Horse" is used, and that these old horses, notably
Victory and Volunteer, are claimed both by Cleveland Bay
and by Coach Horse breeders as the tap roots of famous
strains of horses. As bearing on the question of the name
of the breed it is also worthy of remark that the "Druid,"
speaking of Mr. Jolly, of Acomb, and the trade he did with
the Indian Government, refers to his Coach Horses as
Howdenshire Clevelands.
I am inclined to believe that a good many of the earlier
Coaching stallions were cock-tails. For instance, looking
through the first volume of the Yorkshire Coach Horse Stud
* Since this was written the Yorkshire Coach Horse Society has again
admitted a single thoroughbred cross ; a policy which some admirers of the
breed strenuously opposed as reactionary, and as calculated to cause harm to
the breed eventually.
y8 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Book we find many pedigrees like the following. Paulinus,
sire Necromancer (S.B), dam by Woldsman (S.B.), granddam
by Screveton (S.B.), great granddam by Grog (S.B.). Now,
although all the horses whose names are mentioned in this
pedigree are to be found in the Stud Book Paulinus is con-
spicuous by his absence, so the presumption is that his fourth
dam would be a Cleveland Bay.
The difficulty of tracing the history of the earlier Coach
Horses is also considerably enhanced by so many of them
being named after thoroughbred horses, and, indeed, not-
withstanding the fact that the breed is of much more recent
date than the Cleveland Bay, its early history is enveloped in
quite as much obscurity. Records do not seem to have been
carefully kept, and there appears to be considerable confu-
sion respecting some of the older pedigrees. For many
years Coach Horses contained a very large admixture of
the thoroughbred, for example, Quintessence who was foaled
in 1830 had five top crosses of the thoroughbred, and upwards
of thirty years later, Prince Arthur, the winner of the first
prize at the Yorkshire Show, had two top crosses of the
thoroughbred.
As is the case with Cleveland Bays the Yorkshire Coach
Horses are principally bred by farmers who keep two or three
mares, seldom more than half-a-dozen, the heavier of which
they work on the light land. Large studs are the exception,
but in the neighbourhood of York and Selby, as well as in
Howdenshire, there are a few men who breed and graze Coach
Horses rather extensively. These gentlemen seldom attempt
to cross their Coaching mares with thoroughbred horses unless
it is with the object of breeding carriage horses for the
London market, a very lucrative branch of the business of
horse breeding, and one which obtains largely in the East
Riding. It must not be imagined, however, that the thorough,
bred sire is generally resorted to when the breeding of London
carriage horses is the object aimed at. Coaching stallions are
most frequently used, as there is then the chance of breeding
.
CLEVELAND BAYS AND YORKSHIRE COACH HORSES. Jf)
a stallion. Cleveland Bay stallions are also sometimes resorted
to in the case of very light or undersized mares. A different
type of thoroughbred stallion should be used for a Coaching
mare than that recommended for a Cleveland mare. More
size and length are desirable ; the shoulders should of course
be good, but the back and loins are not of so much import-
ance, whilst it is of importance that the quarters should be
long and level, and that the tail should not droop, but should
be well set on and well carried. Indeed, the thoroughbred
horse selected should possess as much as possible that
elegance of the quarter for which the Cleveland Bay and the
Yorkshire Coach Horse are alike remarkable.
The Yorkshire Coach Horse may be described as a Cleve-
land Bay with more quality, i.e., more of the thoroughbred
quality. His head is smaller than the Cleveland Bay, and
more blood like, and the crest is more arched. The Coach
Horse is also narrower, and has less bone. Indeed, some of
the lighter horses show a great deal of the thoroughbred
character. His action is good, and perhaps has a little more
style about it than the Cleveland Bay, though this may in a
measure be the result of training. Coach Horse breeders are
as particular about colour as are their Cleveland Bay friends,
and though they admit every shade of bay and brown, they
will not look upon any other colour, and carefully avoid using
a stallion conspicuously marked with white.
The general management which answers for the Cleveland
Bay will answer equally well for the Coach Horse. It is true
that Coaching mares are not so well adapted for farm work as
are the more powerful Clevelands, but on a light land farm
there are many jobs for which their activity is especially
adapted, and they generally are looked upon to earn their
keep as well as breed a foal.
Since the formation of the Cleveland Bay and Yorkshire
Coach Horse Societies, both Cleveland Bays and Coach Horses
have been more carefully bred, and the difference between the
two breeds has been more fully recognised by the general
8o
LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
public. This was greatly to be desired in the interests of both
breeds, and it is a source of satisfaction to all concerned that
the Yorkshire Agricultural Society has at last recognised that
the breeds do exist as distinctly as they did in the earlier
years of the century, and that that recognition took a liberal
form. The Royal Agricultural Society have also a similar
recognition of the two breeds under consideration. It would
be little short of a national calamity were the two breeds to
be merged in one, viz., in that of the Coach Horse. The loss
of the Cleveland Bay as a foundation for breeding is one that
could never be replaced ; and the handsome and elegant Coach
Horse or carriage horse is one we could ill do without. This
recognition of the leading agricultural societies means much,
therefore ; it is, as it were, a new point of departure for the
two breeds from which they will attain to fresh excellencies
and wider popularity.
THE ARABIAN HORSE. 8l
CHAPTER IV.
THE ARABIAN HORSE.
THE following enthusiastic account of the Arabian Horse is
from the pen of Captain W. A. Kerr, V.C. :
" If centuries of unsullied descent, a masterful prepotency
a gift that long and stainless purity of breed alone can bestow
mien and bearing haught and high, rounded symmetry of
form, the ability to travel far and fast, courage, and resolution
to struggle and endure, highly-developed intelligence, a gene-
rous disposition, a constitution of iron, bone of hardest texture,.
sinews of steel and flinty hoof if these go to make up equine
perfection, then the true high-caste horses of Nejd, and those
shapely steeds, of equal birth, bred in the plain between the
two rivers that drink of the waters of the Tigris and Euphra-
tes, are assuredly the noblest of their race. Were proof
needed of the Arabian's far back and jealously-guarded pedi-
gree, it will be found in his fixity of type, in the characteristic
spring of the tail from the crupper. A Seglawia Jedran, a
Managhi, or any aseel Arab is distinct from other breeds, and
could be produced from no other stock in the known world.
All the pride of all his race in himself reflected lives ! In
him, ' strength and beauty have come together ! ' So pure
and distinct is he of race, so great his power of heredity, that
no matter how violent the contrast may be, how radical the
cross-out, the mint-mark of the desert remains distinctly
visible through several generations.
" If the Arab lacks the grandeur of physique of such
noteworthy specimens of the so-called thoroughbred as Wild
6
82 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Dayrell, West Australian, Bend Or, Minting, and of a few
other past and present worthy representatives of the three
great Eclipse, King Herod, and Matchem lines, we must bear
in grateful recollection that all of these full, broad streams
had their source in the Darley Arabian, the Byerly Turk, and
the Godolphin Barb said to have been of pure Managhi
descent. It would be passing strange (seeing the conditions
under which they have been respectively reared) to find the
Arab of the same stature as our English racehorse. From
the days, perhaps, when the sons of Noah, descending from
Mount Ararat, settled in the plain of Shinar, or from those of
Nimrod, that mighty hunter, the great grandson of the first
navigator, ' the bold man of great strength of hand, who
stayed and tyrannised in Babylonia,' down to the present
day, the Arab has been bred under circumstances well cal-
culated to arrest his growth, and to inure him to long days
of continuous toil, semi-starvation, and thirst. For a few
months, possibly, he may enjoy the pastures of the Maharaina,
of Esdraelon, or some watered plain in ' Araby the blest ; '
but for many more he has to subsist on scant feed, such as a
Basuto pony alone could thrive upon. ' Never let an animal
lose its sucking flesh,' is an axiom with our breeders, who are
careful to keep their colts and fillies in growing condition.
The Arab foal, on the contrary, endures great privations, has
to follow its dam on many a forced march, and must pick up
a living as it can, aided only by a little camel's milk when
this can be spared. Delightful as is Mesopotamia and the
crisp clear air of the desert in the spring, during the protracted
summer it is a foundry furnace, the almost perpendicular rays
of the sun shooting down upon the brain and spinal column
as though concentrated in the focus of a burning-glass. The
air is charged with particles of fine sand, scorching as from
the blast of an oven ; the parched ground radiates fervent
heat. Climatic extremes, free from humidity, however for
the winter, at night especially, is bitterly cold and oft the
scantiest of scant fare, are conditions calculated to produce a
THE ARABIAN HORSE. 83
hardy, terse little horse, all wire and whipcord ; but certainly
are not likely to rear that massive animal so eagerly sought
after in this country, and which, for downright hard work,
away from his oats and old meadow hay, is so useless out of
it especially under a tropical sun.
" Till very lately the Arabian has been out of favour with
our people. With us size covers a multitude of evils, and any-
thing not over 15.2, no matter how big of bone and large of
frame, is termed a ' little horse.' But now; thanks to H.R.H.
the Prince of Wales, Mr. Wilfrid and Lady Anne Blunt, the
Honourable Miss Dillon, and others afflicted with ' the Arab
craze,' increased attention is being directed to this Eastern
horse, whose descendants are now found to be distinguishing
themselves pre-eminently on all the racecourses of the world,
not excluding the trotting-tracks of America ; and whose blood
(no matter in what channel directed or with what plebeian
puddle mingled) has ever brought improvement in some shape
or other, but mainly in respect of quality, stamina, courage,
nervous energy, ivory-like bone, tough hoof, and hereditary
soundness. In the desert, roaring the curse of our breeds of
horses, from the thoroughbred to the farm slave is unknown,
and the absence of this unmusical propensity is of itself an
undeniable recommendation. But Arabs frequently stand
well above the normal 14.1 and 14.2 high. The grey Arab
stallion, Smetanxa, the founder of the Russian breed of Orloff
trotters, was a horse of commanding size and of unusual
power. Naomi, now in the United States, measures 15.24.
The late Mr. Skene (when Consul-General at Aleppo) sent
.me two Anezeh mares, the one 15. if, the other 15.2. It is
on record that in 1729 an Arabian was in service in Norfolk,
'by size 15.3, and strength proportionate.' Later on, in 1762,
Pettigrew's Grey Barb the Barbary horses are descended
from Arabians height 15. i|, was also travelling in the
same county. Aleppo, the Ormonde of his day on the turf of
Bengal, stood 15.2. The Sakhur tribe, on the borders of
Moab, have some well-grown mares.
" Thanks to the Live Stock Journal, and to its contributors,the
84 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
important part played by the Arabians, the Barbs, and other
horses of Eastern origin in founding our families of racers,
trotters, and Hackneys, and even coach-horses, has been
freely and forcibly illustrated. It has been conclusively
shown that not only is the Arab the most potent factor in
the composition of our racers, but also that
* Oh he's such a one to bend the knee, and tuck his haunches in,
And to throw the dirt in flats' eyes he never thinks a sin.'
We know that one of the most famous trotting families of
America is of Eastern descent, and that an astute and enter-
prising breeder, Mr. R. Huntington, of Rochester, New York,
is so impressed with the value of this hard, blue blood, that he
has made some purchases from Mr. Vidal's stud, with a view
to replenishing this strain, and of establishing a pure trotting
tribe, to rival the record of Maud S., of the Western gelding
Gay, and of Axtell, in the States.
" The ancestry of this trotting phenomenon supplies abun-
dant proof that Mr. Huntington is working on promising ground,
and that to this colt's back desert blood is due the foundation
of his excellence. That he has the trotting instinct intensi-
fied is substantiated by the following tabulated pedigree :
[ Hambletonian
Geo. \Vilkes:2.22..J
(Dolly Spanker | Henry Clay
Lady Banker
'Mam. Patchen, bro. to f Mambrino Chief
Lady Thome 2:iS| ... j by Gano
Guy Wilkes
dam of Lady Dunnj dam of (American Star
X 0-1
< H-l
Mambrino Boy
Joe Bunker 2: 19^ J a Clay mare
/Mam. Patchen, bro. to (Mambrino Chief
I Lady Thome 2:i8x | by Gano
norino ooy -j
2:26^ (Roving Nellie.
/1k , , . ("Mam. Pilot 2.27A
Mambrino Royal | by Lieu t. Bassin|er
Bird Mitchell ]
I , ^ ,, ("Sherman Mo
(by Comet Morgan , Buckshot
THE ARABIAN HORSE. 85
" Morgan was an Anglo-Arabian, and the dam of Dolly
Spanker, an in-bred Morgan mare ; American Star owes his
paternity to an Arab-sired Canadian pacer, and the name of
the thoroughbred Stockholm crops up in his pedigree. Gano
was by American Eclipse, who boasted the Arab strain, and
both Sherman Morgan and Buckshot were doubly in-bred to
Morgan. Henry Clay, a famous trotting stallion, was sired
by Andrew Jackson (also a famous trotter), a grandson of the
imported Barb Bashaw. So Axtell, sold some time ago for
the sensational sum of 105,000 dollars, is anchored on a solid
foundation of courage and endurance.
" Mr. Huntington's efforts will be watched with attention,
and I, for one, heartily wish him all the success his imagina-
tion paints and his pluck deserves. A glance at the pedigree
of many of the best trotters in America, prior to the Civil War,
will show that the latent Arab trotting instinct was not slow
in developing itself in the New World. The Russian Orloffs
claim Eastern parentage. The Cleveland Bay, now so de-
servedly popular on the other side of the Atlantic, must have
a dash of the Anezeh in him. The Romans had Arab races
at Ebor, and the arrival of the Leeds and Darley Arabians
caused such a furore that the nobility and landed gentry of
the three Ridings vied with each other for the possession of
this potent element. For years after this Yorkshire horses
were practically invincible, till that famous Southerner,
Whisker said to have been as near perfection as need be
travelled north, and inflicted signal defeat on the stables of
the Tykes. By the way, I must mention that Catherina
(Whisker's famous daughter) ran no less than 171 races, and
died at the age of thirty-one. What racehorse of modern days
could stand such a ' bucketing ' as this ?
" Very few quite first-class Arabs reach this country, hence
the unreasoning prejudice against them. The breed is said
to have deteriorated within the last thirty years, but, seeing
that it has successfully withstood several centuries of close in-
breeding, this cannot possibly be the case. The Sultan has,
86 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
it is reported, placed his veto on the export ; but my impres-
sion is that, as in time gone by, I, with a well-lined purse and
carte blanche as to price, could pick up a few specimens of the
highest caste horses, and probably a mare or two, such as
would silence all carpers, and convince the most sceptical that
there are still to be found amongst the desert-born superlative
illustrations of that stock which boa-^ c an ancestry of great
deeds and mighty traditions. Horses that outrival all the
rest, * the pearl of the casket,' are no more to be bought for a
mess of pottage in Arabia than here ; and this is especially
true both in Nejd and Mesopotamia, where so much store is
set by blue blood. As for the Sultan's dog-in-the-manger
iradee, that writ won't run, especially when it is sought to be
imposed on these nomad rievers, who care nought for the
Sultan or the Khedive. The dollar (backed by influence) is
as omnipotent in the horsehair tents of the Bedaween as ever
it can be in Lombard Street. 'Gold wins where angels might
despair.'
" The Arabian has somewhat suffered in public estimation
by ill-advised attempts to measure his speed against that of
our modern racehorses. I once entertained the fallacy, but
a trial at Newmarket between a plater belonging to the late
Mr. Caledon Alexander, and the famous Mysore and Bombay
' crack ' Copenhagen, convinced me of my mistake. On the
racecourse the Arab is at a manifest disadvantage, being
built on lines which are quite different from those of our
greyhound-like thoroughbred. He is bred in the desert, exists
for one purpose, and that is to carry his freebooting owner
on his long and rapidly-executed razzias ; whereas the tho-
roughbred, since the days of King James I., has been the
product of careful selection for racing purposes solely ; and,
in these latter days, every consideration has been sacrificed
to the development of speed alone ; all the science and sound
principles of breeding, which our ancestors were the first to
establish, being very generally disregarded. Had we started
ab initio from pure Arabian blood on both sides, sire and dam
THE ARABIAN HORSE. 87
being alike noted for bottom and speed, and from different
tribes, importing fresh blood from time to time for an out-
cross ; and had we so bred for the turf exclusively, there is no
doubt that the Anglo- Arabian would now be in every respect
as high under the standard as the average of our racehorses,
of at least equal speed, and their superior in courage, sound-
ness, and general utility. That this exotic breed can, in
course of time, under altered conditions of climate, food and
treatment, and does increase in height without sacrifice of
power and just symmetry, is equally true. Miss Dillon had a
two-year-old 15 hands, on short legs, and its dam was barely
14 hands, its sire but 14.2!. Her famous jumper, Raschida,
was i5-ig, and at Crabbet Park were two fillies, bred there, of
the same height. In the course of three generations English-
bred Arabs will lack nothing in respect of height.
" But it is as a hunter and war-horse, or both combined,
that the Arab is at his very best. In old Deccan days of
' saddle, spur and spear,' what stirring camp-fire tales each
hard-riding pig-sticker had to tell of the superb little nag that
had carried him so gallantly over such breakneck ground, ' as
though the speed of thought were in his limbs I ' What a
picture is the trained hog-hunter at the jungle side as the dis-
cordant yells of the beaters, floating down wind, proclaim the
find, and announce the joyful tidings that the bristling banditti
are afoot \ Note the eager expression of his clean-cut patrician
head and wide-thrown nostril ; the bold, resolute eye ; his noble
bearing, as he intently scans the echoing hill-side \ How his
desert blood mounts like quicksilver, every vein charged to
bursting, lacing his thin, high-bred skin I He stands motion-
less but for the quiver of suppressed ecstatic excitement, and
an occasional spasmodic shifting of that truest telegraph, the
delicately-pointed ear. * Ready, ay, ready,' is depicted in
every attitude ; then, as the chase draws nigh, and the
sounder pelts past him like a hailstorm, he spins round on his
hind legs, and is after that great surly tusker, the last of the
ruck, like a gyrfalcon in pursuit of its prey. Now comes a
88 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
burst, trying to the full the speed, stamina, sure-footedness,
cleverness, and jumping power of the horse, as of the nerve
and strength of the horseman riding for the spear.
Hard on his track o'er the open' and facing
The deviFs own country, the pick of the chase,
Mute as a dream, his pursuers are racing,
Silence, you know, 's the criterion of pace.
(WHYTE-MELVILLE, slightly altered.)
11 He who hesitates is lost ; for the mighty boar has a high
turn of speed, is in rare galloping trim, and takes the rock-
scarped nullah, the prickly-pear fence with its festering spines,
and whatever comes in his way in his quick, resolute stride.
What cares he for yawning fissured regur soil, for boulder-
strewn ground, or for sheet rock as slippery as glass ? His
thick hide is impervious to thorn of stunted babul or khair, to
lance-pointed aloe, or sword-like wild pine. Though showing
honourable scars a wild hog will rip up a horse with as much
ease and as little ceremony as a huntsman paunches a hare
the Arab, accustomed to the sport, will course the boar, stick-
ing to him, following every turn and wrench, and going open-
mouthed at him. Where the cloven-footed robber goes, there
he follows, fearing no fall, refusing nothing ; his heart as much
in the contest as if he were the rider and not the ridden.
Weight appears to make little difference to these small horses,
their short stride and quick recovery enabling them to carry
men seemingly much beyond their scope.
" During the last few seasons Arabs have been distinguish-
ing themselves with hounds. No day appears too long for
them, no country too big, and they make light of the proverbial
three days a fortnight. One mare, fourteen years old, that
had never seen an English fence in her life, negotiated her
way over a bank country at the first time of asking, in a
manner worthy of an accomplished huntress. Naomi has the
credit of having, with thirteen stone on her back, over and
over again cut down her field in Suffolk. Miss Dillon's mare,
Raschida, has carried off eight jumping prizes in public con-
tests, and that lady's three stallions, El Emir, Eldorado and
THE ARABIAN HORSE. 89
Maidan, all possess the ' lepping ' power. The last-named won
an important point-to-point steeplechase in India. Mr. Blunt,
I believe, hunts some of his Arabs with the Crawley and
Horsham Foxhounds.
" Our campaign in Egypt must have convinced the mili-
tary authorities that British-bred horses cannot withstand the
exigencies of an Eastern campaign. Without venturing on
the domain of foreign politics, it is permissible to hazard the
opinion that when England is again called upon to draw the
sword in a great war, the scene of the land operations will be
not very far distant from the head of the Persian Gulf. Very
much of the unsoundness which affects the usefulness and
durability of our horses is undoubtedly due to the transmis-
sible or hereditary defects both in sire and dam. The soft-
ness is attributable to the blood, which wants rehardening ;
and to the coddling-forcing system in vogue with our breeders
of thoroughbreds. This artificial method of rearing blood-
stock has caused the superintendent of Government breeding
operations in India to lean very strongly to roadster stallions ;
which in my opinion he erroneously describes as of a fixed
type. We cannot deal too guardedly with our horse supply.
It is a monstrous delusion to imagine that we can take up a
position and await attack. No successful campaign can be
carried out in these days, unless every arm be as mobile as
possible. Great activity, rapidity of movement, and bold-
ness in seizing the initiative are essential. Mobility implies
an ample supply, both in the field and in reserve, of service-
able horses of a quality and fibre suited to the country in
which the army is operating. As in the hunting field, so for
military purposes, we must have ' blood on the top.' It is
claimed for them that, in India, they get more bone than the
Arabs possibly they do ; but is not quality sacrificed for
quantity ; hard, fine texture for less dense and durable
material ? How do the produce of the two compare as to
endurance and constitution which of the two work best
under the tropical sun, and how about roaring ?
9O LIGHT HORSES '. BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
" India's chief requirement is an unlimited supply of good
brood mares of a special type. Out there dogs run to nose,
and horses to leg. Such a class of mare as would meet hei
wants used to be bred in Cape Colony some years ago. These
mares were full of Arab and Barb blood. The original breed
of South Africa came from Spain. In Queen Elizabeth's time
the Duke of Newcastle considered the Spanish horse superior
to the Barb oi Morocco. ' The Barbes,' wrote that authority,
1 were the gentlemen of the horse kind, and Spanish horses
the princes.' The grandees had evidently made good use
of the blood introduced by the Moorish Sultans of Granada.
During the eighty odd ears since we ousted the Dutchman
from the Cape of Gooa Hope, many thoroughbreds from Eng-
land and Arabs from India have been sent thither. The
climate being all that can be desired, breeders produced from
this material a long, low, powerful, 'blocky,' sound, active
horse, up to great weight, and of as good constitution as tem-
per. The enormous wear and tear of horseflesh during the
Indian mutinies depleted the colony of these excellent general-
utility horses ; but what it has produced in the past it can
surely supply again. Mr. Melk's compact and shapely
* Kaapsche schemmels ' a pair of which frequently sell out
there for 300 testify to the Cape's horse-breeding capacity.
If the Indian Government insists upon Hackney or roadster
stallions the expression is of the widest latitude then let us
humour the whim, and breed them here and in South Africa
for the State and the native rajahs, now taking an interest in
the enterprise ; but by all means let the blood be hardened by
reversion to the Arab sire. Let the mares be of the big bony
sort, not too high under the standard, but let us be careful
that they have at least as much of the thoroughbred element
in them as has Bourdass' Denmark 177, or Mr. Burdett-
Coutts' Tom King. Some roadster mares are to be found
with grand shoulders, high set on beautifully-turned quarters,
fine Arab-like heads, and comparatively free from those tell-
tale long hairs in their pasterns. A bit of the much-admired
round wheel-like action might well be dispensed with.
THE ARABIAN HORSE. QI
" A better stallion by far would be the Arab, on the big,
roomy, thoroughbred, weight-carrier mare. By big is not
meant one such as that giant of his generation, Arrandale,
standing 17 hands, with bone in proportion, and, for one of
his weight, certainly a wonderful light and easy goer. A well
spread young mare, 15.3 to 16 hands, is quite tall enough ; but
there must be power enough to carry fifteen stone in the
Shires. We want to breed Anglo-Arabs such as Colonel
Gore's Moodkee, first prize in the hunter-stallion class at the
Royal at Dublin, or Mr. Lofft's Gidran (bred in Hungary),
a horse that has got some excellent stock. In the South
African campaign, Colonel Gore, then commanding the Innis-
killing Dragoons, rode a full brother to Moodkee, and the Arab
blood told, for this charger was never sick or sorry, lasting out
four picked horses his master had also brought with him from
Ireland. Stallions so bred, and not brought up like fatlings,
would nick admirably with colonial mares such as are advo-
cated above. The Bernais, who are extensive breeders, prefer
the Anglo-Arabian stallion to the thoroughbred, finding the
foals by the former much stronger and easier to rear on their
coarse fodder.
" The ' sealed pattern ' according to which we should
endeavour to breed stallions for the Indian Government, and
for our own home general purpose use, will be found in the
engraving of a portrait of the Anglo-Arabian so admirably
depicted by Mr. P. Palfrey. In it will be traced a strong
ressmblance to the famous Sultan, the worthy representative
of the Woodpecker branch of the King Herod line, a horse
said to have been cast in an enlarged mould of the Darley
Arabian, and in many of his characteristics, a reflex of Flying
Childers. The line carried from the point of the elbow, along
the belly to the stifles, is, it will be noticed, very nearly
straight, as is the case with Ormonde, and is common to very
nearly all blood Arabians. The deep back rib, which always
takes away from the appearance of a deep brisket, is indicative
of that stamina and constitution possessed by the * air drinker
92 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
of the desert.' For such a class of horse the Italian Govern-
ment would be an eager competitor, and from Buenos Ayres
large orders might be confidently anticipated. Khaled is good
enough to hold his own against all comers on the flat or
between the flags, to carry a first flight fourteen-stone man in
the Shires, would mount the Prince of Wales to perfection at
the head of the Tenth, or Lady Clara Vere de Vere in the
Row, and could not be passed over by the most critical judge
for one of the Queen's Premiums.
" This account is embellished with a portrait of * Speed of
Thought,' a pure Keheilan - Seglawi Arabian, bred by the
Gomassa tribe of the Anezah, the property of the writer.
' Speed of Thought ' was a dark, rich chestnut without white,
save a star. His near eye had been knocked out by the point
of a lance in a razzia. Height 14.3, girth 72 inches, measured
85 inches below the knee, and stood on perfectly-shaped feet,
tough as the nether millstone. He was possessed of super-
lative quality from head to heel, of great muscular develop-
ment ; sinews clean and hard as pin- wire, and stood fair and
square on the best of limbs and joints. High couraged, as
proved when he beat the famous horse Long Trump by a
short head after a desperate race ; full of what the Americans
term * vim ' ; a strong, vigorous galloper ; his bold, free, and
jaunty walk, quite up to five miles an hour, being the theme
of general admiration. Across country, though somewhat
headstrong, he was as clever as a cat, and would face any-
thing, no matter how big, how yawning, and on parade bore
himself bravely, as became his ancestry. Great depth through
the heart, strong shoulders, a muscular neck with marked
breadth in front of the withers and immediately behind the
ears, denoting lung, staying, and weight-carrying power. The
nearest approach I have seen to this aseel son of the desert
was Count de la Grange's ' Consul,' the winner of the French
Derby, but this undoubtedly clever and shapely thoroughbred
lacked his fine fibre and finish. A better constitutioned,
sounder, or gamer horse never looked through a bridle, and
THE ARABIAN HORSE. 93
1 Hagar's desert Ishmael's plains ' never reared his superior.
A true Sh'rubah Er'vech (wind drinker) was he, such a one as
the brilliant Khaled, ' the sword of God,' the long-armed
Tarik, or the chivalrous Saladin might have bestridden in
some wild charge for Islam. Among his four-and-twenty vic-
tories, all achieved in the best of company, may be instanced :
The Poona Derby, the Dealers' Plate (Bombay), H.H. Agah
Khan's Cup, H.H. Alii Shah's Cup, the Gold Cup (Bombay),
the 100 Gold Mohur Sweepstakes, the Drawing-room Stakes,
the Welter, the Forbes Stakes, and the Winners' Handicap ;
his racing career closing with the easy defeat of the crack-
Madras horse, Risaldar, in a three-mile match. The artist,
as is his wont, has done justice to my prime favourite."
-'A
94 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
CHAPTER V,
THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE.
THIS handbook deals chiefly with English breeds of light
horses, but in view of the origin of the breed and the interest
that is taken concerning its performances, a chapter on the
American trotting horse will not be out of place. In his
valuable little work on " Horse Breeding," Mr. J. H. Sanders
says : " Our American horses are largely permeated with the
blood of the English thoroughbred. Many of the best stallions
and mares in England have been imported to this country, and
their influence is seen on every hand. It enters largely into
the ground work of all our trotting strains, and it is doubtful
if a single great road horse or trotter has been produced in
this country that did not possess a large share of this royal
blood as a foundation upon which the trotting superstructure
has been built." It is clear that in the eastern districts of
England trotting matches were quite common during the last
century. After quoting the performances of the celebrated
Hackney mare Phenomena, in 1800, Mr. Leslie E. Macleod,
in an exhaustive paper on the " National Horse of America "
(printed in the United States Report of the Department of
Agriculture, 1887), says " The conclusion is forced upon us
that the English had the material from which to build and
evolve a great breed of trotters."
The fact seems to be that the Americans commenced the
sport of trotting at the point at which it was broken off in
England, and, using our materials and their own, they have
brought it, and the breed engaged in it, to great perfection.
" /
[I
-.8
H
!
S
' I
THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. 95
A State law of New York, passed in 1802, forbidding all
horse racing and trotting, was amended in 1821. and allowed
the training, pacing, trotting, and running of horses upon
certain regulated courses in Queen's County on Long Island.
There were somewhat similar enactments in other States,
and though racing was prohibited trotting was permitted, so
that the sport received encouragement while racing was pro-
scribed. In this way American tastes were guided in the
direction of trotting, a circumstance which has had no small
influence in its subsequent development.
" The foreign horse that played the most important part in
originating the American trotting breed, and that figures in
the ancestry of our greatest sires and performers, was imported
Messenger." In these words Mr. Leslie Macleod, in the
paper to which we have already referred, confesses how large
a part this great sire has performed in the creation of the
trotter. Messenger is registered in the General Stud Book as
having been got by Mambrino from a mare by Turf, from
Regulus mare by Starling out of Snap's dam by Fox. He
was foaled in 1780, and was grey in colour, like his sire, his
height being 15.3. It was in 1788 that he was exported
to Philadelphia, United States. His sire, Mambrino, was
bred by Mr. John Atkinson, of Scholes, near Leeds, in 1768,
and was sold in 1771 to Lord Grosvenor. He was got by
Engineer (a son of Sampson) out of a mare by Old Cade, and
it is stated that Mambrino was also sent to America, and
" became the progenitor of the finest coach and trotting horses
ever produced in any country, while, before quitting England,
he begot some coach-horses that were never equalled."
Sampson, the grandsire of Mambrino, was a black horse of
great size and power. Lawrence observes that he was the
strongest horse that ever raced, and was entitled to pre-
eminence if viewed as a hackney or hunter. He was fifteen
hands and a-half in height, and it is alleged by Lawrence that
at twenty, and perhaps fifteen stone, he would have beaten
over the course both Flying Childers and Eclipse. Sampsoi.
o6 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
was foaled in 1745, and is entered in the Stud Book as got by
Blaze (a son of Childers) from Hip Mare by Spark. A doubt
was raised by Lawrence as to the accuracy of his pedigree on
the dam's side, it being asserted that the mare appeared to be
about three parts bred. Sampson was exceptionally large in
size, and resembled a coach-horse rather than a thoroughbred.
As has been stated, Messenger was imported to Philadelphia
in 1788. He was kept in Pennsylvania and New Jersey fpr
the first six years of his life in America, and was also on Long
Island, in Dutchess, Winchester and Orange Counties, New
York and New Jersey, until his death, near Oyster Bay, Long
Island, in 1808. " It was," says Mr. J. H. Wallace, " the
crowning glory of his twenty years' service in this country
that he left a race of driving-horses of unapproachable excel-
lence, and, as he inherited this quality from his sire, so he
imparted it to his sons, and they in turn to theirs, until we
have to-day from this stock the fleetest and stoutest trotters
in the world."
The most famous son of Messenger was Mambrino (named
after his English-bred grandsire). He was a bay, foaled in
1806, being out of a daughter of imported Sour Crout. He
never raced, and was so little valued that history loses trace
of him for part of his career. He died in Dutchess County
in or about 1831, and was a large, coarse, leggy horse,
with well-defined trotting action. But he was a successful
sire, and his son Abdallah, foaled in 1823, was sire of
Rysdyk's Hambletonian, from whom some of the best
trotters are descended. His dam was a daughter of the
imported Bellfounder, of Norfolk blood. Rysdyk's Hamble-
tonian is described as a bay horse of excellent structure,
but very plain, the large head and Roman face especially
rendering him objectionable to the eye of the lover of
form. His most noted sons comprise Alexander's Ab-
dallah, Aberdeen, Dictator, Electioneer, George Wilkes,
Happy Medium, Harold, Messenger, Sentinel and Volun-
teer. Mambrino Chief was a grandson of Mambrino,
THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. 97
his sire having been Mambrino Paymaster. He is the head
of a family that ranks next to that of Hambletonian. Mam-
brino Chief was foaled in Dutchess County, New York, in
1844, and was from a mare of unknown pedigree. He was a
fast trotter himself, and got some noted sons.
The Clay family of trotters was founded by Andrew
Jackson, a trotter of high class in his day. He was a son of
Young Bashaw, son of Grand Bashaw, a Barb imported from
Tripoli in 1820. Young Bashaw's dam was by the racehorse
First Consul, and his grand-dam was by Messenger. The
dam of Andrew Jackson was a mare of unknown blood that,
it is said, both trotted and paced. Andrew Jackson was
foaled in 1827 at Salem, New York, and died in 1843.
Other blood-influences in the early record of the trotter
were the imported stallion Diomed (winner of the first English
Derby), and the imported Norfolk trotter Bellfounder (Jary's).
The latter was foaled in 1816, and was by Stevens' Bell-
founder out of Velocity by Haphazard. Velocity trotted on
the Norwich road, in 1806, sixteen miles in one hour, and
Bellfounder trotted in 1821, at five years old, two miles in
six minutes. The Messenger and the Bellfounder blood was
united in producing Hambletonian.
The Morgans are a very old trotting family ; they are de-
scended in the paternal line from a, horse called Justin Morgan,
bred in Vermont in 1793. The Pilots trace from the old black
pacer Pilot, who was of French Canadian ancestry. He was
the sire of Pilot, jun., sire of Maud S. and Jan-Eye-See, two
noted performers.
The chief families of trotters, therefore, are the Hamble-
tonians, the Mambrino Chiefs, the Clays, the Morgans, the
Bashaws, and the Pilots.
The first recorded trotting performance in America was
that of Yankee, at Harlem, New York, July 6th, 1806. The
time of the mile was 2:59, but the track was not a full mile.
At Philadelphia, August, 1810, a "Boston Horse" trotted
the mile in harness in 2:48!. In 1832 Burster trotted in 2:32.
7
9 8
LIGHT HORSES ! BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
In 1834 Edwin Forrest lowered the technical record to 2:31 4,
on the Centerville Course, Long Island. Mr. W. H. Brewer
gives the following table of increasing speed. We add to
his list the more recent performances :
1818 Boston Blue ............ 3:0
1821 Top Gallant ........... 2:43
1824 Top Gallant ............ 2:40
1824 The Treadwell Mare 2:34
1830 Burster .................. 2:32
1854 Edwin Forrest ......... 2:31^
1845 Lady Suffolk ............ 2:29^
1849 Pelham ................. 2:28
1853 Highland Maid ......... 2:27
1856 Flora Temple ......... 2:24^
1859 Flora Temple ........ 2:23^
1859 Flora Temple ......... 2:22
1859 Flora Temple ......... 2:21^
1859 Flora Temple ......... 2:19!
1865 Dexter .................. 2:i8
1867 Dexter .................. 2:17^
1871 Goldsmith Maid ...... 2:17
1872 Goldsmith Maid ...... 2:i6f
1874 Goldsmith Maid 2:15^
1874 Goldsmith Maid 2:14!
1874 Goldsmith Maid 2:14
1878 Rarus 2:13$
1879 St. Julien 2:i2f
1880 St. Julien 2:1 ij
1880 St. Julien 2:ii
1880 Maud S 2:10^
1881 Maud S 2:loJ
1881 Maud S 2:io|
1884 Tan-Eye-See 2:10
1884 Maud S 2:093
1884 Maud S 2:09;
1885 Maud S 2:o8i
1891 Sunol 2:08;
1892 Nancy Hanks 2:07;
1892 Nancy Hanks 2:05;
1892 Nancy Hanks 2:04
Other good records are those of Axtell 2:12, Allerton 2:09^,
and Directum 2:05^.
These figures show how the time required to trot a mile has
gradually been reduced. A good deal might be said in refer-
ence to the changes in the formation of the tracks and to the
use of pneumatic-tyred sulkies, but space will not permit of
detail on these points.
The following notes on the breeding and management of
trotters were written for us some time ago by Mr. R. C. Auld,
Chicago :
" Secretary Tracy voiced the popular sentiment when he
declared * that to get trotters, you must breed to trotters ; and
to attain the highest possible rate of speed at the trotting gait
you must continually blend those strains that possess the
greatest stamina and nerve force with those that possess the
highest form of trotting speed. I am a believer in a thorough-
bred foundation in the trotter, nevertheless, provided that it
came from the best sources. I do not, however, like it so
close up as do Mr. Robert Bonner and Senator Stanford.
Safety in breeding lies in matching like with like. In other
-, .
THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. 99
words, if you desire the highest type of trotter or runner,
mate only with the best and highest type. As you cannot
gather grapes from thistles, neither can you expect to breed
world-breakers in point of speed at the trot from the Percheron
or Shire horse, nor uniformly from a type, rich though it be
in Oriental blood, whose instinct is to run and not to trot.
As regards gameness and stamina, it does not appear to me
that the highest type of trotter can borrow anything from the
thoroughbred. The resolute manner in which he trots heat
after heat, day in and day out, frequently after exhausting
scores before getting away from the wire, leaves nothing to be
said on the question of gameness.'
"John Splan, one of the leading trainers, writes: 'When
we get brood mares with rive or six crosses in their pedigrees,
that have been tried through fire by actual battles on the
Turf, bred to stallions with the same characteristics, we will, I
think, have a family of racehorses that will not have to look
to a pacing family for speed, or to the thoroughbred for
staying qualities.'
"The veteran driver Turner declares : * The horse that tries
to win is the one we want, whether the breeding be gilt-edged
or otherwise.'
" Pedigree can only give opportunity a better chance. It
is a true saying that success depends on being ready when
one's opportunity comes. Pedigree is the best means of
making the trotter ready.
" There are fifty mares in the table of great brood mares
whose breeding is unknown, and one hundred and fifty the
breeding of whose dams is unknown. These facts illus-
trate what pedigree may eventually do in breeding the trotter.
It will be some time before horses will have become so bred
that they have all become classified in their various ranks
so that none will be a trotter but of trotting breeding. The
time might come, however, when the admission to the Register
on standard claims will become occasional if the American
tendency to run everything into certain stud-book channels
ioo LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
continues. This we much doubt. Every light -harness horse
the American breeds, the first question about him is, ' Can
he trot ? ' So that there will continually be additions to
trotting ranks from other sources of light horses as the
Hackneys, Coachers and Saddlers by occasional experiments
of trotting sires on such females, or vice versa.
" Speaking of the 2:30 class, a high veterinary authority holds
that training for trotting predisposes to disease, and that there
is more probability of finding some capital blemish in a trotter
of speed than there is in others. This is but natural, how-
ever; the same holds good, doubtless, in regard to the
thoroughbred. Breeding ought to be, in both, a safeguard
against this predisposition. In the breeder's consideration of
this question it will be at once seen what a use * pedigree ' is
to him ; it teaches him what strong lines to draw to, which
weak ones to discard. It is here at once seen that the
' deeper in ' he gets the safer he must be.
" It is said that the thoroughbred blood has always been a
resource to draw from for staying powers. The late Senator
Stanford put into training a thoroughbred filly, well-named
Experiment, on the trotting turf. Considering the distinct
anatomical conformity of the two goers it would seem as if a
thoroughbred could not stand the pounding he must endure
on the trotting track. On this subject we may quote old
reliable John Lawrence, 1809, who says : ' It is a remarkable
fact that there has existed no instance of a thoroughbred
horse being a capital trotter. They soon become leg weary,
and their legs and feet are too delicate for the rude ham-
mering of the speedy trot.'
" ' The advocates of the various theories of breeding,' re-
marked the editor of 'Wallace's,' 'are each finding their grain
of comfort in the unparalleled records of 1891. The trotting
purists claim the magnificent performance of the phenomenal
two-year-old Arion, 2:io|, and world's race records of Nancy
Hanks, 2:09, and Direct, 2:06 (pacer), as upholding their
theory. Those who believe that a thoroughbred should not
\- , THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. 1O1
be found closer on the pedigree than the second dam, point to
the queen of the trotting turf, Sunol, and her magic 2:o8|.
Those who believe in the sustaining power of the thorough-
bred through the first dam, dwell lovingly on the champion
stallion record of Palo Alto, 2:o8|, a half thoroughbred.
4 Honours are easy.' '
" Yet there was no chance work in the breeding of these.
4 Every one was bred for a trotter.' Merit, therefore, does
not seem confined to any particular line of good breeding.
4 Good breeding in blood lines from good individuals, and
from producing progenitors is the secret of success.' But it
does seem that as far as thoroughbred blood is concerned it
is best when not too close up. But the better the record its
possessor has he is always deeper in trotting blood, which
argues the eventuality of the thoroughbred trotter.
" While on the subject of breeding, allusion may be made
to the recognition of the pacer in the Register. The pacing
gait is that seen in the camel the lateral propellers move
together. In the trotter it is the diagonals that move together.
Among some there is also an outcry over the pacer ; he is
would be ridiculed. But he is there to stay, and the best
should be made of the fact. The fact is, further, that the
pace and the trot are interchangeable. It is what such pacing
stallions have done, not only in the way of siring 2:30 trotting
speed, but also in the prepotency in speed production of their
sons and daughters that makes it evident that it is impossible
to disregard the influence of the pacing element in the trotter.
' Horses that sire pacers also sire trotters. Pacing stallions
get lots of trotters. The sons and daughters of these pacing
stallions keep on imparting speed at the trot to their de-
scendants.'
" The conformation of the American trotter is noticeably
peculiar to a foreigner. He is not drawn out so finely or
whalebone-like as the thoroughbred. He does not stand
extend himself over so much ground. He is of more stocky,
compact build ; has more sloping pasterns, a shorter and
102 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
wider neck, so that through it plenty of air can be pumped to
supply the deep capacious chest. His face is fine and intelli-
gent so that if a person had to choose a horse by one
point he might select a trotter so. He is wide between the
eyes. He is rather low in the withers. He has powerful
hind-quarters, specially powerful hocks ; these are noticeable
as it is therefrom, as initial points, that his great bursts of
speed emanate. His motion is peculiar. His hind propellers
give one the impression of being thrown inside the line of the
front propellers. He must have a straightforward gait, not
swinging, which may mean loss of time by curving outward.
He has not only to do the distance in a certain time, but he
must do it in a certain way. There must be no going off the
feet or breaking; all ' hitching/ * skipping,' 'running behind,'
is not trotting. A true trotting horse is possessed of nerve,
judgment, self-control and determination. The trotter's steady,
regular pounding of the turf like the sound of the obsolete
paddle-wheel in water when it comes on the ear so syn-
chronously and rhythmically, almost blended into one con-
tinuous sound, is the sweetest music on earth to the trotting
expert.
" A description of Sunol may not be uninteresting. It has
been said of her that it is a ' deuced lucky thing that she has a
record.' She would never impress the beholder as being one
of the fastest trotters in the world. Looking at the little bay
mare, with her apparently heavy head and tucked-up stomach,
one could almost persuade oneself that she had * levanted with
another's baggage,' and was travelling under false pretences.
Her conformation curiously reminds one of the shape of the
greyhound. She has the same deep chest; her stomach is
drawn up. At least a portion of her head, particularly her
ears, suggest the greyhound, while the sloping hips and slender
steel-like legs add to the suggestiveness of the picture.
" It is a grand thing for the trotting queens and kings of
these times that they have such a friend as Mr. Robert Bonner.
In his stables, at West Fifty-fifth Street, New York, they
THE AMERICAN TROTTING HORSE. 103
reach a haven of rest after their arduous trials, which is an
honoured humane retirement. Mr. Bonner never races these
world-beaters for money, seldom for exhibition.
"Sunol's daily diary may be noted. When she rises in the
morning, she is given two quarts of oats : in the course of an
hour she receives a drink of water. Then her groom brushes
her lightly all over, puts on her walking boots and a light
blanket, and takes her out for a walk of half-an-hour's dura-
tion. Returning to her stall, she is rubbed down, her boots
changed. She is then hitched up and turned over to her
driver. On returning from this exercise, she is rubbed with
cloths until perfectly dry ; a blanket is thrown over her, her
boots removed, and her legs wound with soft flannel band-
ages, and she is walked slowly about to cool off. Again
returning to the stall, she is rubbed once more with cloths and
brushed until her coat shines, fresh bandages encase her legs,
and a fresh blanket her body. Then she is about ready for
some attention to her ' inner ' wants a hot bran -mash, fol-
lowed by hay. Thus her morning passes. In the afternoon
she is ready to receive visitors or take a spin in the park,
driven by Mr. Bonner. Sometimes she may be hitched up
with Maud S., but we imagine each would look better apart.
Sunol weighed 1,070 Ibs., which was a gain of 1*35 Ibs. during
the season.
" It will be seen how much grooming enters into the routine
of Sunol's life. Grooming has, indeed, always entered largely
into good horse hygiene. As in the days of Columella, it still
seems to be considered that ' it was more beneficial to horses
to be well and thoroughly groomed, than to be largely fed,'
and that, without proper dressing, the horse could not attain
that perfection of which he was capable.
" We may conclude by a reference to the recent changes in
the management of the American Trotting Register, &c. For-
merly the Register was conducted by Mr. J. H. Wallace and
his company. The Register was begun by Mr. Wallace, and
the first volume was published in 1868. A few years ago the
104 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
breeders determined to acquire control of the Register for
themselves ; this would have been a simple matter, if there had
been only one organisation of breeders ; but there were two,
hence a deal of competition arose as to which should gain
control of it. The two Associations were, the National, with
an adhesion of 400 track members, and the American, with an
adhesion of 700. To make a long story short, Mr. Wallace,
as president of the old Register Company, finally gracefully
surrendered to the American, as the stronger element. He
was paid 150,000 dols. for the copyright of the Register, Year
Book, his Monthly, and plant. The American Association,
whose offices were formerly in Detroit, moved to Chicago ;
there conventions will meet ; from there they now issue the
various publications connected with the Register, including
the Monthly, which has certainly gained largely by the
change."
The following rules, for registration of standard trotters,
came into force in April, 1893 : * " Any stallion that has a
record of 2:30 or better, provided two of his get have records
of 2:20 or better, and provided his sire or dam is already a
standard animal. 2. Any mare or gelding that has a record
of 2:25 or better. 3. Any mare that has a record of 2:30, pro-
vided her sire is standard and her dam is by a standard horse.
4. Any stallion that is the sire of four animals with records
of 2:30 or better, or the sire of three with records of 2:25 or
better, or two with records of 2:20 or better. 5. Any mare
that has produced an animal with a record of 2:25 or two with
records of 2:30 or better. 6. The progeny of a standard
horse, when out of a standard mare. 7. Any mare whose
sire is standard, and whose first and second dams are by
standard horses."
THE HUNTER. 105
CHAPTER VI.
THE HUNTER.
THAT the thoroughbred is the foundation of nearly all our
half-bred stock, is simply a truism. The blood horse makes
the best sire for our hunters, hacks, chargers, troop horses,
and for those harness horses which are bred from Hackneys,
Cleveland Bays, or Yorkshire Coach Horses ; though in the
case of the last-named type, the thoroughbred may claim an
additional amount of credit, since he has been called in to add
quality to the Cleveland Bay. With these breeds, however,
we are not now immediately concerned, and so may confine
our attention for the present to the hunter.
For hunting purposes, no horse equals the thoroughbred,
provided only that the rider does not too heavily tax the
mechanism of the weighing machine. So long as the hand
does not pass n stone ylbs. on the dial which means that
the extra weight of saddle and hunting clothes will not bring
the total to more than 13 stone no man need despair of riding
a blood horse in the hunting field ; and when he has once
ridden him, he will never want to go back again to any half-
bred horse. The longing to keep to the pur sang will prompt
him to mortify the flesh, if needs be, in order to keep down his
weight ; for when a man has once experienced the easy, elastic
gallop of the thoroughbred, he will not readily adapt himself
to the more laboured action of the half-bred.
It is sometimes said that the thoroughbred cannot jump so
well as his relative of commoner lineage, and that he takes
IO6 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
longer to school ; but both these statements may be dismissed
with the remark that they are inaccurate. So long as a tho-
roughbred horse can be schooled to jump the Liverpool course,
the hunting man may comfort himself that, if his own heart be
in the right place, he never need be pounded in any county in
England. At the several Newmarket sales, and also at Don-
caster, yearlings are sold at prices varying from 15 guineas to
30 guineas, and in the opinion of the writer it would be well
worth the while of any light weight to purchase some of these,
to turn them out, and " forget all about them " for a couple of
years. About three pounds of oats per day and they need
not be of the very finest quality would go far towards build-
ing up their frames and fitting them for the duties of the
hunting field ; a slow racehorse is a very fast hunter.
The time is probably very far distant, when men will breed
thoroughbreds to hunt ; but there does not seem to be any
reason why if any one chose to try the experiment thorough-
breds up to weight, should not be reared. One sometimes
sees both thoroughbred horses and mares with great bone, and
for hunting purposes, to carry weight, it would be useless
to think of breeding from anything which had not substance.
There are generally some hunter sires going about having
quite sufficient bone, but there might be a difficulty about
getting the proper type of mare ; though, judging from the
prices realised for unfashionably bred ones, the difficulty need
not be an insurmountable one, and after one or two mares had
been bought, the fillies they might throw could, of course, be
utilised at the stud, if they proved suitable. Considering the
pleasure to be derived from riding a blood hunter, and
remembering that one able to carry 14 or 15 stone would
always realise a large price, it is perhaps rather astonishing
that so very few people have tried the experiment of breeding
the blood hunter. It may be objected that to do so would be
embarking in a profitless speculation, inasmuch as more money
would be given for a yearling to race than for hunting. True ;
but this only holds good in the case of those with more or less
THE HUNTER. IOy
fashionable lineage, and everyone who has attended the blood-
stock sales must have heard Mr. Tattersall trying to obtain a
bid of 20 or 25 guineas for a yearling by some unknown sire,
and out of a dam who has not yet made a name for herself.
When these youngsters come to more mature years, and turn
out too slow for racing, they find their way into cabs, or are
sold at low prices for other work ; whereas had they been
treated in a manner calculated to fit them for becoming
hunters, they would, at four years' old, have been worth four
times the money that would be given for them as Turf failures.
The embryo race-horse is trained, galloped, and tried, and
these processes sometimes result in rendering him unsound,
when of course he is practically valueless ; but under the
more gentle regime of the paddock and the hunting stable he
would never be asked to gallop as a two-year-old ; his work at
three years would be of a light description only, consequently
his frame would have time to get well set before it was taxed
by work. It is not, of course, pretended that every young
thoroughbred would remain sound, or make a valuable hunter ;
but it stands to reason that if they are not set to severe exer-
tion in their two-year-old days they have a greater chance
afforded them of growing into sound horses ; so that the pro-
portion of failures owing to breaking down must be smaller
than in the racing stable. When the time comes for the
future hunter to be schooled over a natural country a fresh set
of risks begin. He may break his back at some little ditch,
or otherwise injure himself; or he may be unable to stand the
strain jumping puts upon his legs ; but these things have to
be chanced with every horse, thoroughbred or not.
So long as we deal with thoroughbred animals alone,
whether they be horses, cattle, sheep, or dogs, we may breed
to type; but directly we come to crossing one breed with
another we are landed in a sea of uncertainty; We may have
a thoroughbred horse on the one side, and a good looking
hunter mare on the other : they are mated, and the produce
may be worth 100 at three years old, or it may be fit for
108 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
nothing better than cab work. It may be 16 hands high, or
may never grow beyond 15 hands. The breeding of half-bred
stock, therefore, may be truly regarded as a lottery ; though
at the same time there are certain rules and fixed principles
which should not be lost sight of.
Beginning with the sire, it has been laid down as a general
rule that he should be thoroughbred, or practically so. A
slight stain in the pedigree should not, however, disqualify
a stallion that is otherwise suitable as a hunter sire. The
writer has seen one or two good hunters got by a trotting
sire out of well bred mares ; but one would think hunters
so bred are rare. Experience has shown, too, that in the
majority of cases medium-sized sires are more successful
than very tall ones. Soundness is, of course, a sine qua non,
and so are good limbs ; while it is as well to ascertain
whether the horse it is proposed to use has got his mares
in foal, as failure to do this puts the breeder to much expense
and loss. If the sire has acquitted himself respectably over a
country it will be a recommendation ; but it is not so neces-
sary that he shall have won races as that he shall have shown
himself a good fencer, for jumping capability often runs in
families like temper, pace, and other attributes ; while for a
hunter it will be no harm if the sire be somewhat of the
" cobby " order, so long as his shoulders are well placed, and
his back and loins muscular.
The reader is probably aware that a number of persons are
greatly in favour of Arabs as hunters, and of using Arabs as
hunting sires. So long as a horse is of proper make and shape,
can carry the necessary weight, and jump properly, it does not
matter to the usev how he is bred ; the man who breeds only
to mount himself can ride a jumping bull if he likes, as did
Jemmy Hirst. But when breeding for sale is the object, the
breeder must try to produce the animal that will sell best;
and it may be questioned whether a half- Arab is the sort of
horse after which buyers will run. We read of Arabs of 14.3
and 15 hands carrying 13 stone and upwards over all sorts of
THE HUNTER. IOQ
country ; but, as a rule, as mentioned elsewhere, size means
power, and it is a succession of big fences that beats the little
horse. It may be that the 15-hand Arab is equal to the Eng-
lish horse of three or four inches higher, but the majority o t
hunting men would be slow to assent to the claim ; conse-
quently the breeder who can offer a buyer nothing but small
horses must be prepared to pay for his fancy in the shape of a
reduced price. It is not contended that the cross between an
Arab and a hunting mare is necessarily small, but usually
they give one the idea of being nothing more than light
weight horses.
The breeder cannot too soon realise the fact that the choice
of a suitable sire is only one step towards breeding a hunter.
It is of paramount importance that the dam should be equally
good in her way. Yet many breeders, small farmers especially,
when they are not themselves great horsemen, persist in breed-
ing from weedy, undersized or worn-out mares. It is not until
a mare is past work that some of them think of sending her
to the horse. The very natural result of this is that nine out
of ten of the produce are fit for nothing better than to put in
a butcher's cart, indeed, sometimes they have not pace enough
for that ; and then the breeder exclaims that horse breeding
is a delusion, and that after all the expense and trouble have
been undertaken he has had to sell a four-year-old for about
20 or less. The wonder would have been if the animals had
brought any bigger prices. Even when the greatest judgment
is exercised when both parents are just what one would think
they ought to be, and when everything is done to bring on
the young stock there must be a certain number of failures ;
but when judgment and prudence are cast to the winds, who
can wonder if disastrous results follow ?
In the first place it is no more worth any one's while to set
out with the idea of breeding light-weight hunters than it is for
them to lay themselves out for breeding a stamp of horse that
shall sell for ^"25 or ^"30. In the ordinary course of things
the breeder, even if in the long run he be successful, will find
TIO LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
himself with as many misfits as he wants ; his aim should,
therefore, be to produce a horse of the highest class, and this,
in the hunting department, may be described as a horse up
to 15 stone with hounds, and with as much quality as pos-
sible. As often as a good sample of this sort of horse can
be bred, so often will a remunerative price be forthcoming
either for the raw material or when the horse shall have
become a finished performer over a country. In a certain
proportion of cases the breeder will be so far disappointed
that he will find he has a light weight horse instead of a
weight carrier; consequently there is no reason why he
should try to breed the latter unless he confine his attention
to thoroughbreds.
The careful breeder will do well never to breed from a mare
of whose history he is ignorant. She may have been put to a
Hackney, Cleveland Bay, cart-horse, Arab, or half-bred sire ;
and it is a well established fact that a mare, like the female of
other animals, will frequently throw back to the male with
which she was, at some anterior time, mated. If, therefore,
a mare happens, unknown to her present owner, to have been
put to a cart-horse, she may, when mated with an eligible
thoroughbred, drop a colt with the quarters of a blood-horse
and the head and neck of a Dobbin ; and though this may
not affect the horse's performances, it will affect its appear-
ance, and what is more to the point, the price. The first
thing, then, is to ascertain the history of the mare from
which it is proposed to breed, and if this be impossible, it
will be best to leave her alone, or, at any rate, not to pin
one's hopes on anything she may breed.
What kind of mare is most likely to help her owner to breed
a weight-carrying hunter is a question which it is practically
impossible to answer. A mare, which to outward appearance
is just what a hunter brood-mare should be, is necessarily
made up of several strains ; and her produce may take after
some of her ancestors just as they may favour some horse with
which she may have been mated, as mentioned above. If cart
THE HUNTER. Ill
blood predominates, the offspring may be a heavy, shapeless
thing, fit only for a van. If, however, the mare has been
ridden, and if she rides lightly and gives one the idea of being
well bred, the chances are in favour of her not throwing back
to anything coarse on her own side. When there is a pre-
dominance of cart-blood, there is also present, as a rule, a
heavy action and a general kind of clumsiness which can be
detected by any one in the habit of riding well-bred horses.
The texture of the coat, too, is sometimes another guide to
the mare's fitness to become a brood-mare.
Strength she must have, in the form of both bone and
muscle ; and she should not be less than I5hands 2^in. in
height, nor should she exceed i6hands lin. In this, as in
other matters, the mean is best ; and perhaps i5hands 3in. is
about the best height for a brood mare. At the same time,
although size generally means power, it does not follow that
a tall horse is necessarily up to weight a self-evident proposi-
tion, yet one which a good many breeders do not appear to
have grasped. There was a good deal of sense in the remark
of the old master of fox hounds who declared that the " height
of a hound had nothing to do with his size." This is true of
horses to a certain extent ; but as we presently propose to
show, a certain amount of height is as necessary in a horse as
it is in a hound.
To return to the brood mare, however. Various experi-
ments have been tried. With the hope of combining strength
with fashion, thoroughbreds have been crossed with heavy cart
mares, and the fillies so produced have been again put to the
blood sire, and so on ; but the result has scarcely been satis-
factory, and after the second cross the progeny has come out
in all sorts of shapes. Others have tried the clean-legged
cart mare, with better results. In former days, when the
breeding of hunters was at its best in Ireland, the dams of the
hunters were almost invariably the clean-legged cart mares of
the country, for five and thirty or forty years ago hairy heels
were practically unknown in Ireland. Then by degrees the
ii2 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Clydesdale and Shire horses were introduced, to take the place
of the native mares, which had been sold to go abroad, and it
may be stated with confidence that since that time Irish
hunters have not been what they were.
What we require in theory, at least is an upstanding, big-
boned, roomy mare, got by a thoroughbred horse, and with as
few mixtures in her pedigree as possible. Such a mare is hard
to find, and when found will not always throw the sort of foal
we want. A few years ago, " G. S. L.," an acknowledged
authority upon breeding matters, ventured the opinion that
every hunter brood mare should have some pony blood in her,
on at least one side of her head, and there certainly seems to
be a great deal in this theory, when one calls to mind the
mares one has known which have been descended from New
Forest, or what are now regarded as Exmoor, ponies.
At the best, however, the writer regards the most eligible
stamp of weight-carrying hunter as, under existing condi-
tions, a purely chance-bred animal, and no rules can be
laid down which will give a breeder a reasonable chance of
thinking that he can breed two in succession from the same
parent. We are speaking now of horses equal to 15 stone at
the most ; but there is still more chance about breeding those
elephantine animals which can be ridden by men who walk
from 15 stone to 17 stone. These must give up all hope of
quality, for the man who rides 17 or 18 stone to hounds must be
thankful to be carried at all, and must be grateful for the assis-
tance of an active cart-horse. On the other hand, however, one
has seen some wonderful heavy-weight horses. When Lord
Macclesfield used to hunt the South Oxfordshire country, he
must have ridden 16 or 17 stone; yet what horses he had ! The
writer well remembers two of them in particular, a chestnut and
a brown. Both had the quarters and middle piece of a dray-
horse, but they could gallop at a great pace, and jump any-
thing, and were by no means " carty." Then again, Mr.
Merthyr Guest, Master of the Blackmore Vale Hounds, and
Mr. Hey wood Lonsdale, Master of the Shropshire, ride horses
THE HUNTER. 113
showing a wonderful amount of quality for the weight they
have to carry; but all these horses we believe to be chance-
bred ones.
We have only to go to horse shows to find out how rare are
weight-carriers with quality. Out of about a couple of dozen
entries, at least one quarter will be voted not up to the mini-
mum weight ; about the same number will be common, and
only fit to follow harriers in a sticky, slow country ; it will
be possible to find faults more or less serious with some of the
remainder, and when the judges come to make up their minds
how the prizes shall be awarded, their choice will probably be
limited to three or four. It will be observed, too, that as the
limitations as to weight decrease, the classes grow very much
larger. This has been less observable lately than it was a few
years ago, for latterly, the tendency at horse shows has been
to diminish the number of classes assigned to horses capable
of carrying various weights. In connection with this question,
the following extract from an Irish newspaper of 1886 may
not be without interest : " That our horse-breeding has
changed within the last twenty-five years is evident by the
great present scarcity of horses to carry over 14 stone, and the
increase of those who can carry 12 stone. In last year's show
(1885), although most substantial prizes were offered by the
Royal Dublin Society, the proportion of classes were as fol-
lows : For weight-carrying hunters up to 15 stone, five years'
old, 64 entries ; hunters from 13 stone 7 Ibs. to 15 stone, five
years' old, 97 entries ; while for the class for hunters up to
from 12 stone to 13 stone 7 Ibs., five years old, there were 143
competitors. Now, comparing this with the show held in
1876, exactly ten years since, the entries in the then respective
classes were, 15 stone class, 25 ; 13 stone 7 Ibs. class, 46 ;
12 stone class, 30."
Reference to the catalogues of our English horse shows
give very similar results. For example, when the Royal was
held at Nottingham in 1888, there were a dozen heavy weight
hunters and seventeen 12 stone horses ; at Hull, in 1889,
8
H4 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
there were eleven heavy weights and zi light weights. At
Islington, in 1889, there were 21 horses in the class to carry a
minimum of 15 stone; 28 in the middle weight class, and 25
in the light weight class.
The moral of all this is, that while hunters up to weight are
difficult to rear, it is comparatively easy to breed light weight
horses, and that these should exist in such large numbers
proves that the breeding of weight carrying hunters of high
class is chance work. As already stated, no breeder possess-
ing common sense would lay himself out to breed light
weight horses in preference to weight carriers, because
experience has shown that the ranks of light weight hunters
are very largely recruited from failures. A man who rides
from 12 stone to 12 stone 7lbs can mount himself cheaply
enough, since he may ride either a weed or an under-
sized horse. In every country in England are light men who
get along and maintain a good place on. something not ex-
ceeding 15 hands ; and if one goes to Tattersall's, Aldridge's or
to any other repository, it is possible to see plenty of com-
petent light weight hunters knocked down at sums not ex-
ceeding jo, while a great many bring no more than ^"30 or
^"40, or more properly speaking, guineas, while some are
obtainable at still lower prices.
In the matter of general rules, therefore, we can get no
further than saying that the hunter brood-mare should possess
both size, strength, and breeding; and when we have all
these three requisites we must still be indebted largely to
chance.
This brings us to the consideration of the question what is
a saleable horse ? To a certain extent we have discussed this
question already. He must have size, breeding and quality,
and, of course, jumping abilities of a high order. The " horse
for Leicestershire " is, in short, the horse to bring the most
money ; and whatever the theory of individuals may be, in
practice every one who can afford it buys a horse of this type,
no matter in what country he may hunt. Go to Northum-
HUNTER.
/ .
THE HUNTER. 115
berland in the north, Sussex in the south, Lincolnshire
and Essex in the east and Devon in the west, and you will
find that men who have the money or the credit will
mount themselves on well bred, upstanding horses able to
gallop and jump. Of course on Exmoor and Dartmoor where
there is no jumping, in Kent and Sussex where big woodlands
are met with sufficiently often to cause checks, and in close,
rugged countries wherein climbing and creeping are more the
rule than galloping and jumping flippantly from field to field,
a good deal of sport can be seen from the back of a horse
which would be of no earthly use in a grass country in which
are small coverts. But a few times in a season hounds run
hard in the worst of countries, and then it is that the value of
a good horse is seen. To put the matter shortly, no man
rides a worse horse if he can afford a better. Jumping a
country is merely a matter of local practice, and there is no
reason whatever why a horse which can get over a grass
country should not, after a little practice, be an equally
brilliant performer over the wide Roothing ditches of Essex,
the banks of Dorsetshire, the stone walls of Gloucestershire,
or the formidable ramparts of Devon. In every country in
England horses are seen which would not disgrace themselves
on the grass anywhere.
These well bred, strong horses, then, are the ones the
breeder wants to produce if he can, as they bring the most
money. In the majority of years each individual will have to
remain content with a lower standard and consequently a
lower price, and what he fondly hoped would turn out a high
class hunter may eventually have to be sold as a harness
horse.
The writer has always advocated that at horse shows the
brood-mares should be divided into two classes. When
numbers of mares of all sorts and sizes are shown together,
the prizes naturally go to those showing most quality. It
would be well, therefore, to have one class for mares them-
selves up to 14 stone, at least, with hounds, and the other for
n6 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
mares up to not more than 14 stone. In this way the heavier
mares, which may be the better calculated to breed weight
carriers, would have more chances of gaining prizes than they
have at present. It would also be a move in the right direc-
tion if greater rewards could be given in the classes for
farmers' brood-mares. If a farmer with a decent mare could
nearly make sure of picking up 25 or ^"30 a year at small
shows there would be forthcoming proof positive that keeping
a better mare paid best, not only because she could win
prizes where a worn-out thing could not, but also because
better young stock could be bred.
HUNTER SIRES.
In an article on " Hunter Sires," Sir Walter Gilbey, Bart.,
makes some suggestions which are calculated to render the
breeding of hunters more reliable than it has hitherto been.
He writes as follows :
" It is strange to observe how satisfied many people con-
tinue to be with the present system of breeding general-pur-
pose horses. This condition of mind affords a striking
instance of the influence which deep-rooted prejudice, and a
determination to adhere to fashion, can exert upon the intelli-
gence of men. The idea has prevailed too long that weight-
carriers or useful riding and driving horses can only be
bred by using thoroughbred sires ; and this belief has proved
the chief obstacle in the way of every suggestion for a better
system of breeding strong and sizeable animals.
" There is no doubt that the thoroughbred of to-day is, for
racing and for reproducing speedy animals, better than he ever
was before ; yet the fact that there has been great change in
rules and customs of the Turf has made him, of necessity, less
suitable as a sire for getting horses for weight-carrying, for
harness, or for military purposes. The altered system of rac-
ing and modified Turf arrangements have combined to produce
THE HUNTER. 117
a class of racehorse which is quite distinct from the thorough-
breds of last century. We have now horses that come quickly
to perfection, and as quickly pass from the Turf. At the
present time there are not a dozen races of any importance
which are run upon courses above two miles. The ordinary
distance is from six furlongs to one and a-half miles, and the
exceptions are a few welter races, which are still contested for
by the better class of horse.
" The average weight which is carried, ranges from 8 stone
to 9 stone. In very few cases is the higher of the two limits
exceeded. This arrangement gives the good, bad and indif-
ferent horse a chance of winning ; and speed has been preferred
to substance. Horses are tried at two years old, and if they
appear to be slow they are at once cast, in order that the ex-
pense of further training may be saved.
" In a controversy (which has been going on for many years)
it has been proved that no plan, for improvement of the stock
of general-utility horses, can be long maintained by using,
exclusively, sires reared for the Turf. Even many racing men
now share this conviction ; which has been to some extent
brought about by the fact that several of our best four-mile
steeplechase horses are not clean-bred ; but have other blood
running through their veins besides that of the thoroughbred.
This is the case with the following steeplechase horses of high
repute : Roman Oak, New Oswestry, Zoedone, St. Galmier,
Heather, and Marienbad. The first-named won many races
in 1891, and the big race (^2,000), at Manchester, in 1892.
In the list of Grand National winners, a large percentage will
be found to have what is considered to be a stain in their pedi-
gree. This is the case with Pathfinder (who won in 1875),
*with Zoedone (1883), Old Fox (1886), Gamecock (1887),
Frigate (1889), Ilex (1890), and Come Away (1891). The
Colonel (who won twice i.e., 1869 and 1870) and The Lamb
(who won in 1868 and 1871) both belonged to the same class.
" At the commencement of this century, competition in
racing all over England, was carried out on quite different
n8 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
terms to those which are observed to-day. Then it was for
four-year-old horses carrying 10 stone 4 Ibs.; for five-year-
olds with ii stone 6 Ibs. ; and for a few aged horses with 1.2
stone, and it was decided in jour-mile heats. Such races were
a great inducement to breeders to endeavour to get horses of
size and substance ; and so long as these prizes and the
Queen's Plates were given to horses carrying heavy weights,
strong thoroughbred horses continued to be bred and kept
upon the Turf.
" For many years past our stock of really sizeable riding
horses, and of true-actioned, well-matched driving horses,
has been notoriously deficient. To make up for this de-
ficiency, large numbers are imported from abroad, and we
are sending away vast sums of money which ought to go into
the pockets of British farmers and breeders. The Govern-
ment returns for the six months ending June, 1892 show
that there were 3,932 horses move imported than in the cor-
responding six months of the previous year ; viz., 12,343 for
the six months of 1892, as against 8,411 in the six months,
January to June, 1891.
" It is curious to learn that we have been doing in the im-
mediate past exactly what was done in this country between
the years 1154 and 1702. In order to prove this, an interest-
ing article, headed 'Antiquity and Progress of Horse Racing,'
should be examined, which appears in one of the volumes of
the Sporting Magazine, published in 1810. In this is briefly
described the commencement of English horse racing. The
article states that it was
" ' Only after the reign of Henry II. (1154) that gentlemen
began, among other feats of sporting, to try the fleetness
of their horses against one another. . . . Gentlemen
went on breeding their horses so fine, for the sake of shape
and speed only. Those animals which were only second,
third, or fourth-rates in speed, were considered to be quite
useless. This custom continued until the reign of Queen
T
THE HUNTER. IIQ
Anne (1702), when a public-spirited gentleman (observing
inconvenience arising from this exclusiveness) left thirteen
plates, or purses, to be run for at such places as the Crown
should appoint.* Hence they are called the King's or Queen's
Plates, or guineas. They were given upon the condition that
each horse, mare, or gelding, should carry 12 stone weight :
the best of three heats over a four-mile course. By this
method, a stronger and more useful breed were soon raised,
and if the horse did not win the guineas, he was yet strong
enough to make a good hunter. By these crossings as the
jockeys term it we have horses of full blood, three-quarters
blood, or half-bred, suitable to carry any burthens ; by which
means the English breed of horses is allowed to be the best,
and is greatly esteemed by foreigners.'
" In the face of all that may now be seen and read, no
one can deny the importance of this subject to the nation.
Indeed, the question has for more than fifty years occupied
at intervals the attention of Parliament, of the press, and of
a large percentage of the horse-loving people of the country.
In no age has the idea of perfection been placed higher than
it is in this. It is admitted that the object of all should be
to combine usefulness with beauty, and that there is, or
should be, some visible standard of what is being aimed at.
In the breeding of general -purpose horses, men should have
before them some type or model of what they are seeking to
obtain. Now, it will be found that there are in existence
to guide us many old pictures of celebrated sires other than
thoroughbred, who, in the early and middle part of this
century, did good service by begetting progeny of the desired
character, and who were freely used for breeding horses
suitable for carrying heavy weights and coaching horses.
And, what is more, there exist (in the old Sporting Magazine
and other contemporary publications), the written records
* If this be a true statement it may be seen from what source the money
came which originally supplied what from Queen Anne being on the throne
were termed the Queen's Plates.
I2O LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
and particulars of this useful type of horse. At the period
to which I refer sons of these weight-carrying sires were
themselves continued as sires. Thus a course of line breed-
ing was established, so that there came to be a breed of light
horses quite distinct from the thoroughbred. Why men
should not have persisted with this line-bred stock of horses
it is difficult to understand. It can only have been through
the craze for speed, without regard to other important attri-
butes, such as size, bone, and usefulness generally.
" Among many other pictures of old hunter sires to which
we might have made reference, there is one of ' Pantomime '
in the Sporting Magazine of the year 1836. This is called
* a favourite hunter, the property of David Marjoribanks
Robertson, Esq.' The dam is described as ' not thorough-
bred.' And in the article appended it is stated that ' the
sire of Pantomime was Grimaldi, a race of hunters nearly
extinct, and justly celebrated for their high courage, honesty,
and stoutness.' What, it may be asked, became of that
' race of hunters ? '
"With cattle and sheep it is fortunate that the practice
has been different. We have had men whose enlightened
minds led them to persevere throughout on the lines that
their forefathers adopted, and the success which has thus
been achieved proves line-breeding to be right. Bakewell,
in the last century the great pioneer in improving nearly all
descriptions of stock bred from animals which were on
both sides of exactly the same character. He had no intake
of fresh blood for upwards of twenty-five years, and the
merits of his method are recognised by herd and flock-owners
down to the present time.
" But in our attempts to breed hunters and heavy weight-
carrying horses the idea has prevailed that with these no
distinct type can be fixed in the same way, because no
relationship should exist between the sire and dam. This
arose from fear that the progeny would be too near akin,
and that if mares of a good line-bred sizeable sort were put
THE HUNTER. 121
to a sire bred in the same way and of the same character as
the dam, it would be doing -wrong. In real fact, there is no
danger in breeding by the nearest affinities, provided they
have developed no unhealthiness, and provided the animals
to be mated are both possessed, in a superior degree, of the
qualities which are sought to be established.
"It is impossible to imagine why we should have post-
poned so long the breeding of weight-carriers on both sides
from animals of a type that would reproduce itself. For
we have acknowledged breeds in the thoroughbred, the
Hackney, and the Shetland. In heavier breeds we have
the Shire, Clydesdale, Suffolk, and Cleveland, all of which
varieties reproduce themselves without recourse to any out-
side alliances, and there seems to be no reason why a breed
to be hereafter called the * hunter sires ' or * weight -carrier
sires,' or by any other name should not be established in
the same way.
"The haphazard system of continually using thoroughbred
sires, and this to mares which already have a large pro-
portion of thoroughbred blood, has not proved successful.
Those who have expended large sums of money in trying
to breed in this way weight-carrying hunters and sizeable
horses have acknowledged their failure.
" To realise this truth, it is only necessary to read what
Lord Cathcart has written in the nineteenth volume of the
Royal Agricultural Society's Journal. The article occupies
fifty-five pages, and gives, with much information, the opinion
of numerous practical breeders.
" If my opinion were to be asked, and I had to advise
briefly what should be done I would say, ' breed from a
stallion, other than a thoroughbred one, which has a strain
of hunter blood in his pedigree,' or select a thoroughbred
stallion that possesses the shape and make of a hunter, and
is capable of carrying a 14 stone man to hounds. If he
be mated with a hunter-mare of known descent one that
has carried not less than 14 stone to hounds, has won hunter
122 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
or point-to-point races, or that has won premiums at the
Spring Shows of the Hunters' Improvement Society then
the progeny of such mating will be a commencement of
establishing a heavy-weight line of hunters. There is no
animal better for coach or carriage purposes or for work
requiring powers of endurance, such as doing long journeys
by road, than a horse of the hunter class. The result of
such an experiment would be sizeable animals, which if not
suitable for one purpose would be for another. Here the
remark of a writer (Mr. Chas. W. Tindall) is much to the
point when he says: * We can make a hunter a harness
horse, but all the Acts of Parliament cannot make a harness
horse a hunter, and it is a fact beyond dispute that horses
of the hunter type are more in demand than any other for
general-purpose work.' "
YOUNG HALF-BRED STOCK.
It is well that those who undertake the breeding of half-bred
stock should thoroughly understand that it is a risky business,
and that a great deal of knowledge of one kind and another is
required before it can be made to pay. It is also necessary
to understand that where no more than two or three foals are
bred annually, a loss must inevitably result if the breeder
has to pay for labour, or rent of premises. If a man has the
convenience for breeding, he may do fairly well in a small way
with luck and good management. Attention is drawn to these
matters, because they are not without their bearing on the
case when the time comes to ask what is to be done with the
young horse ?
Clearly it will not do to pay to have him broken and made
into a hunter by any one else, or all the profit (if any) will be
swallowed up.
All young horses should be handled from the day of their
birth, it saves a world of time and trouble afterwards in fact,
if a foal be constantly handled, and be early fitted with a head
. I
THE HUNTER. 123
collar, and then with a colt bit, or better still, the ring bit,
such as is generally seen in the mouths of yearlings at sales,
and if a little rug be put over him at times, and if the attend-
ant occasionally bear a little on him, breaking to harness or
saddle will generally be attended with no difficulty whatever.
At this stage of the proceedings some very important con-
siderations come in. The breeder may be an excellent man
for breeding, i.e., he may be a good judge of mares and stal-
lions ; he may be thoroughly up to the work of treating his
mare properly while she is in foal, and he may know all about
handling and taking care of young stock ; but he may be no
horseman, and may be by nature unfitted to undertake the
task of breaking or making a hunter. In such cases, it is
submitted, the breeder would do well to sell his youngster to
the first person who will pay him a sum which represents a
fair working profit. It may be urged that by-and-by this
horse may be sold for 200, ^"300, or ^"400 ; so he may, but
let not this consideration trouble the mind of the breeder. By
selling young he has the minimum of risk, and possesses that
bird in the hand which is proverbially said to be worth two in
the bush. We have somehow come to regard breeding and
breaking and making as one man's work, whereas it is really
the task of two men, though of course some have the gift of
doubling the parts ; but when a horse is old enough to be sold
as a hunter, the price paid for him depends upon something
more than good looks : his manners and performances must
be good if a large sum is to be given for him, unless, of course,
he is good looking enough to be bought for show purposes.
Unless, therefore, the breeder or one of his family be a suf-
ficiently good horseman to undertake the breaking and making
of a hunter, the breeder is best out of his colt as soon as he can
dispose of him at a profit, as if he does not carry himself well,
move in good form, and jump freely, cleverly, and temperately,
he will never pay the breeder for keeping till he is four or five
years old. It may, however, be necessary to adopt a middle
course, that is to say, the breeder may, through lack of offers,
124 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
be unable to dispose of his youngster as a yearling or a two-
year old, yet he may find a buyer before the colt is old enough
to be ridden as a hunter. In this event some progress will
have to be made in his education.
At two years old he may be taught to jump, on the plan
recommended by Whyte Melville, that is to say, he may have
to jump a low rail and little ditch to get to his feed of corn,
which he should have once or twice a day ; at two years old
he may be ridden by a light weight, and at this early stage he
should be taught to stand quietly while being mounted ; to
walk well, without breaking into that uncomfortable jog at
which some horses will persist in travelling, and not to start
with a jump. Directly a horse is found to be deficient in any
one of these points his value falls ; but a very moderate horse-
man should be equal to guaranteeing that his steed does not
fail in these elementary particulars. During the preliminary
lessons the colt will be held by an assistant while the trainer
mounts ; but as the colt grows accustomed to being mounted,
the assistant will hold him less ; but he should never be suf-
fered to move till the rider has both feet in the stirrups, has
gathered up his reins, and has given the signal to start.
The more a horse knows of jumping the better, and if he
has been accustomed to jump his little rail and ditch for his
food, he will have done something to develop the muscles
which come into play when taking a fence, and he will have
learned something of the art of balancing himself when taking
off and landing. People are not all agreed as to the best
method to be adopted to teach a horse to jump a "natural
country," that is to say, hedges and ditches, water, &c. ; but
the writer is of the number of those who have implicit faith in
the efficacy of a leading rein. He believes in it for two
reasons. In the first place, the horse can have his initiatory
lessons before he is old enough to carry a weight upon his back
without danger to his legs ; and secondly, he will get accus-
tomed to banks, ditches, and other obstacles, without being
incommoded by a rider who may possibly pull at his head a*
THE HUNTER. 125
a critical moment, and so give him his first lesson in " sticki-
ness " a great fault in a hunter. At the outset, the leading
rein fastened to a caveson is to be preferred to driving the
horse over fences with long double reins.
It is important that only small places be selected until the
colt will trot up and jump them readily. The trainer will at
first be accompanied by an assistant, who may lightly hold
the horse while the trainer gets over the first little ditch or
hedge ; and here the trainer may be advised not to turn round
and stare the pupil full in the face when asking him to jump.
He should stand sideways to the obstacle, so that he can see
all that the colt is doing without frightening him. The same
rule holds good when taking a horse into a horse-box for the
first time. The person in charge should never turn round and
look the horse in the face, but should precede the horse by a
foot or two, and keep his back towards him. The assistant
should be provided with a whip, but it is to be used sparingly,
and not at all if possible a slight cracking of it will nearly
always suffice and, above all, the trainer must not be in a
hurry. If he set about his work properly, nineteen colts out of
twenty will give no trouble whatever, especially if they have
been in the habit of jumping the rail to get their food. Nor
must the trainer be in too great a hurry to increase the size of
the fences he selects ; small places only should be picked out
till the pupil jumps them without hanging at them.
It would be beyond the scope of these remarks which are
intended for beginners to deal with the advanced education
of a hunter. The person who undertakes to ride a young
horse over a country should be a man of experience. If,
however, the breeder be not a good horseman, and if he will
educate his young stock on the lines here laid down, he may
feel sure of being able to realise the best price for what is
little more than raw material. The buyer will see that he
has a good foundation to work upon, and will not have to
spend a long time in unlearning several bad habits, which
he would certainly have to do had some unfinished horse-
man undertaken the education of the colt.
126
LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
There is no harm in initiating young horses into harness
work ; they may at first draw bushes or a log over a field.
The writer once saw a two-year-old fitted with a breast strap,
and helping to work a small mowing machine ; he was not of
much use, it is true, but, as the owner said, he was getting
used both to drawing and the noise of the machine. On the
same premises were a two-year-old and a three-year-old work-
ing a chaff-cutter. The breeder of these young horses, though
by no means a great horseman, had the knack of effectually
handling young horses, while he lost no opportunity of
making them familiar with the sight and sound of trains,
traction engines, clothes hung to dry on a hedge, and with the
hundred other things which terrify horses. The man who
breeds in a small way generally has plenty of time on his
hands, and the gradual process, which may be almost likened
to the Kindergarten system of educating children, is far prefer-
able to the adoption of "systems" in which a colt has his
head and tail tied together, or is thrown down by complicated
tackle. Nevertheless, these things have their uses ; and no
harm will come if the breeder learns one of the systems,
because in case one of the youngsters should turn out refrac-
tory, the mechanical appliances which enter largely into the
systems come in handily in obtaining a mastery which is not
easy to effect with a mere halter oi ^aveson
AjterAiken
AWAY ! AWAY . *
f ' v
THE HACK.
CHAPTER VII
THE HACK.
SIR FRANCIS HEAD tells us that " to metamorphose a hack
into a hunter is chiefly effected by the bridle ; " and it may be-
equally true that the bridle has not a little to do with changing
the hunter into a hack. At any rate the majority of hunting
men prefer as a hack a horse built on the lines of a hunter.
After being accustomed to plenty of length in front of the
saddle, to good sloping shoulders, and the swinging action of
the hunter, it is scarcely possible to bring one's self to ride a
little roly-poly cob, short in front, and with high quick action.
For quiet riding on the roads one does not, of course,
require a horse up to as much weight as the hunter ridden in
the winter ; but for most tastes the hack must be on hunter
lines, even though we come down to the i4-hand polo pony.
For park work we may desire more action than we should
care about in the hunting field ; but if anyone will visit the
Row day after day during the London season he will see that
high-stepping hacks are by no means common. The horse
show hack is frequently an animal quite sui generis he com-
monly bears about as much resemblance to the working hack
as does the English nobleman in the opera " Marta " to mem-
bers of the peerage as seen in ordinary life.
The cob appears to be, now-a-days, a nondescript sort oi
animal ; and it is only here and there that one is seen which
conforms to the requirements of a perfect hack. Even at the
best of the horse shows nearly all the cobs are wide-chested,
128 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
thick-shouldered, very short of quality, and with rough, un-
comfortable action ; yet so long as they can bring their knees
sufficiently near their noses their owners think them fit to
exhibit. Some years ago, in writing about cobs, an acknow-
ledged judge of horses remarked that the requisites for this
sort of hack were perfect quietness, good shoulders, a reason-
able amount of length, manners and quality, and he con-
tinued, " If the cob can walk four miles an hour, trot with
equal ease six or ten miles an hour, canter as slow as five
miles an hour, then let the owner, if a rich man, cling to him,
for he will not get such another in a hurry ; if a poor man, let
him not hesitate to open his mouth, and demand for his cob a
sum which shall make an appreciable difference in his year's
income."
It has often been said that a park hack should be highly
trained to answer more readily than the hunter to aids and
indications. No possible exception can be taken to this
doctrine, provided only that the rider is likewise educated up
to the higher development of equestrianism. A hack that
suddenly stops, traverses, passages, or does something else on
receiving an unintentional hint, would be nothing short of a
nuisance to a rider who is not fairly well up in the details of
la haute ecole. In common parlance, a hack may be too well
broken ; but above all things he should be docility itself. A
man who is making a young horse may naturally expect his
steed to sit up with him now and then ; or in consideration of
brilliant performances in the field a hunter which will not go
quietly to covert may be tolerated ; but for park work or for
quiet road riding, lamblike placidity is a sine qua non.
It is seldom or never that the hack not being a covert hack
or some useful slave kept for the sole purpose of " supplying
a want," and getting over the ground as quickly as possible, is
required to travel fast ; consequently pace is a superfluous
quality in a horse required for the park. But a hack should
be a good walker, and no pains should be spared to make him
excel in this mode of progression. In teaching a horse to walk
- f v '
THE HACK. 129
he must be made to go into his bridle, as indeed he should in
his other paces ; the reins should be held one in each hand, so
as to check the horse on either leg should he show the slightest
inclination to break. He must not be taught, however, to
Dear on the bit for support, but should step away freely when
he has learned his lesson, with the reins on his neck if neces-
sary. If a horse walks too fast for others, he can always be
kept back, but if he be a slow walker, his rider will rarely be
able to travel in company, except at that jog-trot, the constant
indulgence in which knocks twenty pounds or more off a hack's
value, and upsets his rider's temper.
In like manner a hack should be schooled to carry himself
in good form, and to trot at a pace not exceeding eight miles
an hour, without wanting to increase his speed to the utter-
most, and finally to break into a gallop. The slow canter
should also be a studied pace.
In hacking, no less than in hunting, the choice of a proper
bridle is a matter of the greatest importance. It was once
more the fashion than it now is, to " provoke the caper that
they seem to chide ; " but this is a silly proceeding. Some men
even now, affect what is known as a " hard and sharp " i.e., a
curb bit only, but this practice is not recommended to un-
finished horsemen. No sound argument can be advanced in
favour of a needlessly sharp bit, for an engine which frets a
horse and gives him artificial showiness must be more or less
cruel. For ordinary horses the ordinary double bridle will
suffice for all purposes, and if from any reason want of
schooling or bad breaking, for instance the horse should
carry his head too high, the French, or standing martingale,
may be employed, without any of the risks that would attend
its adoption when using it over a country.
It has already been stated that a hack should be quiet, and
quietness includes an absolute indifference to sounds, noises,
and sights which may not be encountered at every turn.
Scarcely a season passes without some accident occurring in
the Row from a horse taking fright, owing to some other
Q
130 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
horse or horses passing it at a canter, or from a lady's habit
flapping in its face. It is no difficult task to make a horse
familiar with these things, and no hack can be considered as
fit for use till he is proof against the fear or surprise which
anything unexpected may engender. Throughout the length
and breadth of England traction engines, railways, gipsy vans,
and bands of music are so common that no matter where a
horse may be bred, he should possess a good knowledge of the
world by the time his preparatory education is completed.
We may here warn both breakers and horsemen against a very
common fault. Very many people on the approach of a train,
a band, or on passing within reasonable distance of a shooting
party, are at infinite pains to inform their horses that some-
thing is about to happen which may frighten them. That is
to say, they pull up to a walk, begin to say " Whoa," take tight
hold of the reins, and so far as acts can effect the purpose,
give their steeds every encouragement to begin to prance and
fidget before anything happens, and to make a halt when the
sound is heard or the sight encountered. This, it is respect-
fully submitted, is wholly wrong and quite opposed to the
common sense of horse-breaking. The effect of giving a
horse a signal in advance is well illustrated in the musical
ride at the Royal Military Tournament at the Agricultural
Hall. After the cantering ride is finished the horses are
drawn up in two lines at the upper end of the arena, there
to await the sound of the trumpet which is the signal for the
charge. Before the last horse has taken his place the others
show their eagerness to start ; they know what is coming, and
can hardly be restrained. So it is with the civilian's horse ;
once gather up your reins and begin the whoaing process, and
you plainly tell your horse that something is about to happen.
The common sense plan is not to upset him by grasping with
the legs, and tightening the reins, and beginning a nervous
conversation with him. Sit as you were sitting, leave the
reins as they were, and hold your tongue. You will, of course,
be ready to restrain your horse should he attempt to get
THE HACK. 131
away ; but if he starts there is no need to take it for granted
that he is going to run away. If you yourself are not in a
fright the chances are that your horse will retain his com-
posure.
People who train shooting ponies and chargers know quite
well that the best way is to leave the reins as slack as pos-
sible ; the horse just starts at the unaccustomed report, but
after a short experience he becomes quite indifferent to the
sudden noise. If the reins were nervously clutched, and he
were given to understand that firing was about to take place,
he would be unsettled. Try the same sort of experiment
among your friends with a bottle of soda water. Let them
see that you mean to open it ; remove the wire, turn the
cork very slowly, and extract it more slowly still. You will
then see some of your audience making grimaces, contracting
their eyebrows, and giving other evident signs of the agony of
suspense ; and when the cork does at last come out with a
pop, more than half of the company will instinctively recoil
and jump ; yet they do not do so at dinner when servants
open champagne or aerated waters. Then they do not know
when the noise is coming, and it is over before they have
time to start.
In treating of horses, however, it is assumed that they
have been gradually accustomed to different sights and sounds
during their early breaking. Lastly, the hack, like the hunter,
should be taught to stand as still as a rock while the rider
mounts, and the rider, in his turn, on becoming possessed of a
well-broken hack, should be very careful not to spoil him by
accustoming him to start almost before he is settled in the
saddle. It is the custom to abuse colt breakers, but more than
one-half of the faults of horses are caused, not by the breaker,
but by the mismanagement of those into whose hands they
subsequently fall.
132 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
THE HARNESS HO'ALK.
It must depend upon circumstances whether a person about
to set up a horse and carriage, gets the horse first, and then
looks out for a suitable carriage, or whether the process of
selection be reversed. It occasionally happens that people
who are not too well off are able to get either a horse or a
vehicle on unquestionably advantageous terms sometimes
for nothing. When this is the case, it is unwise to decline
the offer ; but in either event the one should suit the other in
point of build and size. Nothing looks worse than to see a
great camel of a horse drawing a low and light vehicle, and
nothing looks more inhuman than to set a small and light
horse to draw a great heavy carriage.
Where, however, any reasonable outlay is of no moment,,
the first thing to be done is to decide upon the purpose for
which the equipage is required. If you want to go to the
station two miles off in ten minutes, you will not, of course,.
give a couple of hundred guineas for a high-stepping carriage
horse and drive him in a brougham ; nor, if you propose to
drive in the park, are you likely to select a buck board waggon,
and an American trotter with a 2.30 record.
For a full sized landau or similar carriage, horses of 16
hands, at least, will be required ; but it is a matter of taste
whether they shall be of the hunter type that is to say, the
result of a thoroughbred horse and a half-bred mare or
whether they shall be more nearly related to the Cleveland
Bay and Yorkshire Coach Horse. For country work it may
perhaps be difficult to beat the hunter-bred horse; he has
plenty of pace and power, while as he is not likely to have
very high action, his legs will last all the longer. This lack
of action, however, tells against the ordinary half-bred horse
for park and parade purposes, and those who desire something
more showy will be more likely to suit themselves by buying
or hiring horses of the Yorkshire Coach Horse stamp. It
is, however, impossible to divide harness horses into distinct
THE HARNESS HORSE. 133
breeds, for, like the hunter, they are frequently made up of
many strains. The sire of the largest will be either a Cleve-
land, Yorkshire Coach Horse, or thoroughbred, and sometimes
a Hackney ; while the dam may be of the above breeds, or
some kind of a half-bred, with more than ordinary action.
For brougham, victoria or phaeton work, the Hackney blood
is a good deal in favour, and not without reason. Than the
squarely built horses about 15.2 one sometimes sees, with good,
but not extravagant action, nothing can be more admirable ;
but people who desire to preserve that grand action the pos-
session of which adds so vastly to the price of a horse must
remember that steppers are not calculated to perform long or
fast work. If many miles have to be covered daily, the car-
riage stable must be proportionately strong, for unless a horse
be a little above himself, he will soon lose his action ; while if
he be driven at any pace, the chances are that he will not be
long in battering his legs to pieces.
It is apparently a matter of conscience with the majority of
coachmen to drive high-stepping horses with sharp bits and
tight bearing reins ; but the horse owner would do well to at
once set his face against the abuse of these, at times, necessary
engines. It was said just now that a horse will not continue
to be a stepper unless he be above himself, and being above
himself implies somewhat easy work, and generous not too
generous keep. It is obvious, therefore, that a horse whose
life is cast in such pleasant lines will be full of fire, and having
regard to the fact that he will spend much of his time in the
crowded streets, he would not often be a fit subject for a
snaffle, or to be driven at the cheek. Without any suspicion
of cruelty, therefore, we may safely adopt somewhat stronger
bitting. The question is, what bit is best for the purpose ?
Many people like the Liverpool pattern, which is by no
means destitute of advantages ; but the horse's lip some-
times gets pinched by the shifting mouthpiece, especially
in double harness, where there is always more or less lateral
pressure on the bit. There are, however, other patterns,
134 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
which are free from this defect, but unless a horse be some
hot and heavy-headed brute that can hardly be restrained,
the abominably high ports which disfigure so many harness
bits should not be adopted. To provoke high action by such
illegitimate means is sheer cruelty.
Then we come to the bearing rein, a piece of harness as
useful in its way as a kicking strap. The well-fed and easy
worked horse need not necessarily carry his head in the right
position, and it would not do for him to extend himself too
much in the streets of London. The bearing rein, properly
used not abused, mind is, in the case of a headstrong horse,
of material assistance to the coachman, and prevents horses
in double harness from getting their bits or bridles fast
against one another or on the pole. But there is not the
slightest necessity to pull up a horse's head to the extent we
unfortunately too often see, and directly the swivel to which
the bearing rein is fastened is found to be a couple of inches
or so above the mouthpiece of the driving bit, it may be taken
for granted that the coachman knows but little about the
science of bitting. To speak the truth, the average coach-
man is lamentably ignorant of bits and bitting.
The dogcart horse does not require much notice. He may
be anything that will suit the cart in point of size, and the
work required of him, so far as his pace is concerned. He
should, however, have good forelegs and shoulders, inasmuch
as if he falls, the occupants of the cart are likely to be hurt.
A buggy horse should have both action and pace, and so
should the cobs which are driven in the now fashionable
varieties of two-wheeled cars and carts.
Some of the remarks we made in connection with the train-
ing of the hack, apply with equal force to the harness-horse.
Nothing is more annoying than to have a horse which will
not stand while people get into a vehicle, or which as soon as
he has the signal to go, first rears up and then starts with a
bound. This habit, which is easily taught, is with difficulty
eradicated, and in order that it may not be acquired, the
THE HARNESS HORSE.
135
coachman should never be hurried or flurried when mounting
to his seat. The passengers should get in quietly, and the
horse or horses should be started gently, without anything
approaching to fuss. If haste has to be made to catch a train,
it will be time enough to put on the pace when you have
emerged from the carriage drive. A very few hurried starts,
and a horse will be made fidgety.
136 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
CHAPTER VIII.
PONIES.
THE difficulties which beset a writer on the subject of
ponies are rather formidable. In the first place, it is no easy
matter to state definitely what a pony is, in a fashion that is
likely to prove acceptable to breeders in the various districts
of horse-breeding England. In the opinion of many an ex-
perienced man, anything below 15 hands is a pony, but this
dictum, it need scarcely be added, is simply the rankest heresy
in the judgment of the majority of pony raisers. Then, again,
it may be parenthetically observed, the remarkable number
of divisions and sub-divisions which ponydom includes,
affords a puzzle to the uninitiated, which it must honestly be
confessed requires a great deal of explaining, even by past
masters in the art of rearing this class of stock. Nevertheless,
for the purposes of this chapter which in no sense is intended
to be a scientific article on our little horses it will be simply
sufficient to allude to the principal varieties of pony in a less
analytical fashion than would be imperative in a more am-
bitious work. The uses of ponies, the principal designations
by which the leading breeds' are recognised, and their breed-
ing, may be lightly touched? upon.
To commence with, 'therefore, the writer will endeavour to
point out to his reader, and convince him, of the immense
value of these equine bantams which to the discredit of our
countrymen have for so long a time been permitted to lan-
guish in the obscurity of unconsidered trifles. There is hardly
PONIES.
I 37
any branch of usefulness for which a pony is not adapted
short, of course, of carrying heavy weights or drawing pon-
derous loads. It would be sheer lunacy to pit a pony against
a large horse in an equal competition, but if tested pound per
pound it is pretty certain that the little one would hold his
own and a bit more, assuming that the handicap were fairly
carried out. One has only to consider for a minute or two
what sort of work it is that many a costermonger's pony is
put to day after day, to arrive at the conclusion that in a
competition David versus Goliath, the giant would come off
second best if the weights and dimensions of the two animals
were carefully ascertained and their respective burdens ad-
justed accordingly. A pony, moreover, is supposed to live
principally upon air, as will be shown in the part of this
chapter that will deal with the question of breeding him ;
whilst, in countless instances the meagrest shelter is afforded
him, and even this is of the roughest kind.
It may, therefore, be assumed that one of the many virtues
possessed by ponies is their utility ; a second, the smallness
of their appetites ; and, lastly, the peculiar propensity they
possess for "roughing it." In seeking for spheres of useful-
ness which are particularly adapted for ponies, one has to go
no further than the countless tradesmen's carts which throng
the principal streets in every town throughout the length and
breadth of the country. Between the shafts of these convey-
ances every variety of nondescript animal which can by cour-
tesy be styled a horse may be met with within the space of
half-an-hour's walk, but it is well nigh equally certain that
the vehicles which are travelling best and look smartest are
drawn by ponies. Animals like the three-cornered, mad,
Argentine wretches that have been put into their carts,
with the most unfortunate results, by some fatuous trades-
men, who simply could not get suited st their price with
any other class of horse, are not at all the sort of animal to
leave standing outside an area gate in a crowded thorough-
fare, and, moreover, they are far more costly in the long run
138 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
than a pony, if only on account of their larger appetites, and the
extra price that has to be paid for harness and traps to fit them.
The number of ponies, moreover, that are at work, in pairs,
in the London streets has sensibly extended during late years,
for van owners and the like, who must have their work trans-
acted with reasonable despatch, and who cannot afford to
have their animals blundering and falling about the streets,
appear at last to have arrived at the opinion that a pair of 14
or 14! little ones this is rather transgressing the pony stand-
ard, by the way are far better adapted for this purpose than
wastrels standing a hand and a-half higher at the shoulder.
Of course, too, when it comes to the question of working in
coal mines, the little ones are quite in the front, but their suit-
ability for such work need scarcely be discussed in a general
notice of ponies, as it concerns a very small section of the
community mine owners, to wit. On the other hand, the
thousands of mouths which are daily dependent for bread
upon the labours of the costermongering fraternity would
fare but badly if the latter had to rely solely upon the
humble donkey as an animal of draught. At the exhibition
of ponies and donkeys, bona fide the property of London cos-
ters, which took place at the People's Palace, in July, 1892,
the owner of a pony informed the writer that he had tried
donkeys, but found them quite unsuited for the particular work
his animals were expected to perform, and he added with
emphasis " There's one or two of my mates who's a lookin'
for a good pony, but they can't find 'em." This forcible allu-
sion to the dearth of useful ponies that exists in London, is one
that might be borne in mind by owners of waste land, where
they might be inexpensively reared, as when a demand exists
it is only reasonable that some efforts might be made to
supply the same.
Having thus alluded very briefly to a few but only a few of
the rather prosaic, but perfectly legitimate uses to which
ponies may be put, some reference may be made to the loftier
walks in life to which their energies and capacities may be
PONIES. 139
adapted. In the first instance, it is obvious that the splendid
game of polo would become an impossibility, were no minia
ture steeds available and to hand for the accommodation
of the players. Nor could children learn to ride^ or old
gentlemen be safely carried in the park or on the moors, if
something up to weight and steady, and near to the ground,
were not provided to do their will. Then there is the
legion of timid individuals and invalids, who would shudder
at the bare idea of finding themselves on two wheels behind a
horse, but to whom the pony is quite a thing of joy and com-
fort, in which implicit reliance may be placed. Here, indeed,
is to be found a market, which it is impossible to believe that
an increased supply of the proper sort of pony not the goose-
rumped Russian specimens, or the cow-hocked productions of
some districts of England could possibly glut ; and more-
over, it may reasonably be anticipated that the popularity of
ponies would extend, as a knowledge of their value became
more widely recognised.
Finally, some allusion must be made to the highest class
pony of all, and the most valuable, the trapper, with all round
action and good looks to attract the attention of the . un-
initiated and horsey men alike. How these little animals are
appreciated may best be gauged by the infallible test, the
money one, for the way that heads go nodding when a top-
sawyer comes up under the hammer, shows how difficult they
are to procure, and how highly prized they are when come
across. Any breeder who could turn out goers of about 13.2,
and good-looking to boot, would never be likely to receive an
unpleasant communication from his bankers regarding the
state of his balance, and with reasonable luck and judgment
would be a rich man in the course of a few years. Yet with
the knowledge of this fact before them, British horse breeders
have contented themselves with confining their attention to the
bigger breeds, with the result that the appearance of a new
pony at an Islington or Agricultural Show, is regarded as an
event in the annals of the equine year.
140 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
The second advantage which may be assigned to the pony
over heavier horses, is the smallness of his appetite, and this
should prove no small attraction in the eyes of would-be
equestrians, afflicted, alas ! as so many of them are, by ill-lined
purses. Whether the pony is naturally so small a feeder as
he usually is, is, however, questionable, as there can be little
room for doubting that the early treatment which the majority
of equine bantams experience has provided them with a facility
for thriving upon very little. All excess in eating and drink-
ing is due to the inordinate encouragement of a natural
appetite, and if this is rigorously checked it is marvellous in
how short a time the craving will disappear. Ponies, usually,
owing to the mere fact of their existence and their earliest
surroundings, are well acquainted with the art of going upon
short commons, and thriving on the same. This circumstance
in unquestionably due to the belief and it is a true one that
young stock that are well fed grow, and that those whose
dietary is limited do not. Consequently, from his earliest
infancy a pony finds himself compelled to try and get as fat
as possible upon an amount of food per diem which animals
more happily circumstanced could dispose of in half the time,
or less. It is hard work, too, for many of the little colts and
fillies to rub along during their most youthful days, as the
majority of their breeders very sensibly endeavour to arrange
so that their mares foal late, in order that the youngsters
should derive just as much nourishment, first from their dams,
and then from the grass, as will enable them to live and move
and make as little growth as possible.
Doubtless, therefore, the natural appetite of a healthy pony
becomes reduced by habit, with the result that, when he
reaches his full stature, he flourishes upon, and is contented
with, a far smaller allowance of food than he would otherwise
require. This faculty for going upon short commons must
surely be regarded as an additional recommendation, which
should never be lost sight of by those who are hesitating be-
tween investing in a horse or pony for purposes of pleasure, and
who may not be blessed with ample means.
PONIES. 141
Having been accustomed all their lives to rough it, the
majority of ponies readily adapt themselves to circumstances
which would be objectionable, and prejudicial to the health of
other horses. Of course no animal can be expected to thrive
or do well in an ill-ventilated, stuffy stable, but a pony can
stand fresh air better than any other horse, and in this respect
should prove attractive to a buyer. This hardiness cannot,
however, be received as a proof that the little ones are not
benefited by care and attention in their stables, for no living
creature ever flourishes if neglected. No owner need expect
that his animals will show good coats if left unattended to,
and it is only natural that the spirits of a pony that gets good
corn will be higher than his neighbour who gets none.
In the case of a pony breeder, it is one perpetual war against
an increase of size on the part of his stock, and to ward against
this he has to see that they are inbred, foaled late, kept on
short commons and not pampered. In offering this opinion
the writer most certainly has no intention of implying that
the animals should be starved, or subject to any sort of cruelty.
In the first place, the nature of any right-minded man would
shrink from either proposing or adopting such advice ; and
secondly, it would be extremely bad policy were they to do
anything of the kind. At the same time, all stuffing and
coddling must be rigorously tabooed, or the ponies will soon
become horses, and disappointment will ensue. In order to
emphasise this opinion, which has been founded not only upon
personal examination and experience, but also upon the ideas
of many leading breeders who have been consulted upon the
point, the writer may so far enter upon a digression as to
invite his readers to consider for one moment whether the
steady increase in stature which is so obvious in most, if not
all, breeds of English horses, is not directly the result of high
feeding and scrupulous attention ? It may also be remarked
that ponies are always commoner in sterile districts than are
horses, and this circumstance is most unquestionably due to
the fact that their food, and that of their ancestors, does not
142 LIGHT HORSES '. BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
contain the nutritious elements that are to be found in rich
pastures and luxurious lowlands. The little ones are unques-
tionably the children of the mountain and the uplands, and it
therefore must assuredly become the bounden duty of a
breeder to endeavour to imitate the teachings of Dame Nature,
and not oppose her by stuffing his youngsters with food which
no mountainous district could by any possibility supply.
In making the assertion that ponies are the " children of the
mountain," the writer desires it to be clearly understood that
he does not imply that they cannot be bred on, or may not be
indigenous to, the lowlands of any country. At the same time
no dwarf breed of animal will retain the smallness of its
stature if raised for generations on a fertile soil and under a
genial climate. A i6-hands Arab, or anything like it, would
be a lusus natura, but it is a certainty that these desert -
created steeds are steadily increasing their height at shou Ider
so far as the English-born animals are concerned.
It has been observed before in this chapter, that in-breeding
has to be practised in order to maintain the desired smallness
of a pony, and there is not much chance of the truth of this
assertion being combated by practical breeders. The very
history of the most famous varieties, be they Dartmoor or
Exmoor, New Forest or any other, confirms the accuracy of
the statement, and it usually occurs that a change of blood at
once has the result of raising the height and increasing the
substance of a strain, and continues to do so until by syste-
matic " sibbing" the effect of the new blood has worn itself out
in this respect. Considerable differences of opinion exist as to
how these in-breeding operations should be conducted, but
speaking generally, it is more advisable to breed father to
daughter and mother to son, than to adopt the cross of brother
and sister. Unquestionably most of the recognised varieties
of pony such as those raised on Dartmoor are very much
in-bred, and doubtless the juveniles would be of a far better
class than they are if some rational method of management
were adopted. It is no use to emasculate the most ill-favoured
PONIES. 143
of the young horses, and then let the others serve the mares
haphazard, or at all events if it is so, the less that is said about
scientific breeding the better. Nature in a large number of
cases is a grand mentor to be guided by, but unfortunately
her beneficial laws are just as likely to be set at defiance by
ponies as by men, and with equally disastrous results. Con-
sequently a judicious control over the animals that are running
at large is always desirable, if only to ensure the proper
amount of in-breeding.
Having now ventured to obtrude upon his readers his
opinions upon the value of ponies generally, and the best
methods for procuring the desired reduction in size, the writer
finds himself compelled to approach the consideration of that
much-vexed question, " What is a pony ? " If this enquiry
could be answered by the simple reply, " Oh, anything under
15 hands, or 14.2, or 14, "or whatever it might be, the difficulty
in offering a solution of the riddle would be simply nil; but
unfortunately there is no such an easy means of escape to a
man with a pen in his hand. He, at all events, is compelled
to offer some more definite solution of the problem ; for it
must not be imagined for a moment by the inexperienced that
the correct definition of a pony would be, a horse that stands
a certain number of inches at the shoulder. Of course all
ponies must be small, so far as their height is concerned, but
having agreed upon this point, one at once is assailed by
difficulties of many and varied kinds. A cob, for instance,
is a small horse, but he is not a pony, strictly speaking, and
there is almost as much difference between a good specimen of
the stocky weight carrier so beloved of elderly gentlemen pos-
sessed of a tendency towards embonpoint, and a bloody-looking
natural mover, as there is between a Shire horse and a park
hack. It becomes necessary, therefore, to endeavour to arrive
at some clearer definition of what a pony really is than that of
a horse that stands beneath a certain standard.
Unfortunately at the present time, the several varieties of
pony are suffering from the want of proper care and attention
144 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
which should have been received by them from English horse
breeders, and it would be impossible to attempt a critical
analysis of the points and characteristics which divide the one
from the other within the limits of the present notice. An
attempt at such a definition as may convey what is required
in an ordinary pony, so far as appearance is concerned, has
therefore to be hazarded ; and to meet this demand upon his
powers of description, the writer may suggest that the best
sort of pony for all-round purposes is a little animal as like a
hunter as is possible, and as small as can be produced. This
definition, at all events, possesses the merit of being subscribed
to by more than one breeder of position, but it is not to be
taken by readers as applying inflexibly to every little animal
that professes to be a pony. It is more intended that it should
be received as what the writer's idea is of the all-round
animal, and not as a hard-and-fast description of what every
pony should be like. The polo pony, for instance, should be
simply a thoroughbred in miniature ; whilst the weight carrier
ought to be a dwarf Hackney, built on the most substantial
lines, and boasting a supply of bone below the knee which
would shock the susceptibilities of a hankerer after blood.
A pony, in brief, may with justice be described as a bantam
of one or other of the larger breeds ; as it is absolutely certain
that any person possessed of leisure, patience and money,
could, in time, effect a reduction in size, until pony dimensions
were finally reached, of any variety of horse. In order to do
so, many disappointments would have to be endured, and long
years of anxious waiting for results would also have to be
devoted to the task ; but yet the end would surely come if the
four great cardinal rules of pony breeding viz., in-breeding,
late foaling, short commons and an absence of pampering
were rigorously adhered to. It is not every one, however, who
possesses the application or the means that will combine to
enable him to apply himself with any prospect of success to
such an undertaking, and therefore the value of a good pony
is likely to be excessive for many a year to come, owing to the
<y
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PONIES. 145
infrequency with which real clinkers are met with, even by
those who scour the country in search of a good-looking one
that can go.
The production of a race of polo ponies, in particular, is one
that appears likely to be opposed by many difficulties, the
principal of which is the source from which the original stock
would be derived. It is to the highest degree improbable, in
fact, that the produce of thoroughbreds, who have for genera-
tions been kept for the greater part of their career in hot stables,
would at first be robust enough in their constitutions to stand
the effects of persistent in-breeding, and the hardships which
alone can produce the article that is wanted. Yet. thanks to
the truth of that admirable doctrine the survival of the fittest
it is absolutely certain that time would effect that change in
their systems which would enable them to found a strain of
miniature thoroughbreds. At present there are plenty
although not enough of clean bred ponies in the country,
and it is to these that the founder of a polo stud would have
to look for his foundation stock. It appears to be quite pos-
sible, moreover, that the introduction of a strong dash of Arab
blood in the first instance would have the effect of strengthen-
ing the constitutions of the members of the stud ; but once
again, it may be repeated, in-breeding and short commons are
absolutely essential to all prospects of ultimate success. If
these methods are not drummed into the heads of would-be
breeders, and if they fail to act rigorously upon these lines,
it is almost certain that their time and money will alike be
wasted. So far, therefore, it would appear that as regards the
establishment of a breed of bantam thoroughbreds, the chief
difficulty that persons who have set themselves the task will
have to encounter will be the possible delicacy of their stock,
for the lines and points of the clean bred article are so clearly
established as to require that no experiments need be made to-
perpetuate the same.
It becomes a different, in fact an exactly opposite matter,
however, when the foundation of a strain of blocky, weight-
10
146 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
carrying ponies comes to be considered, as amongst these the
constitutions would probably be vigorous enough, and it
would be the type and tendency to run to size that would
require the special energies of the breeder to be devoted to
them. "Big little ones" can be produced with comparatively
less trouble, though with no degree of certainty, from the
crossing of a small animal with a big one ; but this is a happy-
go-lucky method of breeding, which only proves what every-
body would expect namely, that a small foal might be
produced and leads to no tangible results whatsoever. The
youngster is, in fact, just as likely to come as big as its larger
parent, but more probably will partake of the nature of both,
and be a compromise between the pair, and therefore if by
any principle of scientific breeding a strain could be produced
which was in the habit of throwing cloddy, powerful young
stock of about 14 hands in height, a certain fortune would be
the reward of the happy founder thereof. Here, again, the
advantages of persistent in-breeding would be fully recognised ;
but the first step on the path of progress must be the selection
of the right sort of foundation stock. Fortunately, too, for
those if there are such in existence who would be bold
enough to attempt such an experiment, there is the Hackney
at hand to commence upon, and this is the class of horse above
all others which may be suggested for the purpose. The
Hackney is, of course, a born mover, and most of them can
walk, which in the case of an old man's pony is an essential
accomplishment. There are big quarters, properly placed
tails, flat bone and good feet, all ready to be utilised ; and not
the least advantage offered by the Hackney would be the
hardiness of his constitution, which would certainly stand in-
breeding and privation as well as could be expected or desired.
Moreover, although the tendency of the age is to increase the
size of the Hackney, there are plenty of, comparatively speak-
ing, small animals at hand which, in spite of their breeding,
are obtainable at fair prices. It also should be quite possible
to obtain a few that were in-bred to commence with, and if so,
PONIES. 147
the difficulties that presented themselves to a breeder would be
smoothed away considerably at the commencement. At the
same time there can be no disguising the fact that the estab-
lishment of a strain of thick-built ponies of a lower standard
of height than that usually accepted for cobs, and which would
breed fairly true, would be a very difficult task, as the earlier
treatment of the foals would assuredly cause them to develop
a tendency to lose substance, and if this were to be the case,
the object of their breeder would be defeated.
Regarding what has been styled above the hunter type of
pony, the magnitude of establishing a reliable strain would
not be nearly so great, as there are in existence good-looking
in-bred little horses which from time to time are to be picked
up by those who keep a good look out for the same. It is there-
fore a source of surprise to many that in these days of agricul-
tural depression, landowners and others have not devoted a
portion of their energies to breeding ponies, utilising for the
purpose some of the waste land that is on their hands. There
is always a ready and fairly remunerative market for pony
misfits, and as the cost of raising the animals is so very
trifling, it is hard to see how the speculation could turn out
otherwise than a very profitable one. Those embarking upon
an enterprise of this description would, moreover, possess the
additional satisfaction of knowing that they were doing good
service to their country, as any movement that tended towards
the suppression of the importation of the foreign element into
British horse markets could not be regarded as being otherwise
than patriotic. The country is now flooded by numbers of
three-cornered looking ponies, with tails half way down
between their croup and hocks, hailing from Russia and else-
where, whose presence amongst us is only due to the apathy
of English breeders, and does not therefore redound to the
credit of the latter. The foreigners would never have invaded
our shores had there been an adequate supply of home-bred
ponies, and it certainly seems remarkable that, considering the
national pride which most of us take in our horseflesh, the
148 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
raising of ponies the most profitable of all stock should
have been so completely discountenanced.
A short time ago the first volume of a Pony Stud Book
was published, and before this volume has appeared there
will probably be issued the initial volume of the Stud Book
of the Polo Pony Stud Book Society. The future success
of these registers will, of course, depend upon the methods in
which they are conducted. A few breeders have for years past
religiously preserved a record of their breeding operations,
and were these pedigree books forthcoming, the basis of a
Stud Book might be obtained. Under the happiest of cir-
cumstances, however, the formation of public records of the
pedigrees of ponies, like the establishment of a reliable strain,
must be regarded as a matter of time, patience and infinite
research, for there can be no overlooking the fact that many of
those who have bred the best of ponies have only succeeded
by a fluke, and know next to nothing of the breeding of the
animal which has made them famous. All this is far from
being right, and it is therefore to be hoped that the future for
British ponies animals which can scarcely be put in wrong
places if so be that their inches will not stand in the way
will be a brighter one than the past. At all events there is
the satisfaction of knowing that a move is being made, and
that .the merits of the bantams have been clearly laid before
the public. It will now be the fault of breeders and cer-
tainly not of the ponies if a perceptible improvement in the
general quality of the latter is not evident before many years
have passed over our heads. All that is necessary to ensure
this is the devotion of patience and time to the improvement
of a judiciously selected stud, by a man who has enough money
to enable him to wait a few years. If these are forthcoming,
and proper attention is devoted to the four cardinal rules of
breeding alluded to above, there is little doubt as to the
result.
There is a very considerable difficulty in existence now-a-
days, in distinguishing one breed of pony from another, so far
PONIES. 149
at all events as the historical varieties are concerned ; for so
much foreign blood has been introduced into most of the most
famous pony-breeding districts, that many of the original cha-
racteristics of each race have been either lost or improved out
of recognition. Other instances exist where, owing to neglect,
important features of a strain have been permitted to become
absorbed by defects which, like ill weeds, will always grow
apace. At the same time a few enthusiastic breeders to
their infinite credit be it said have devoted their attention to
the maintaining of a strain, and by their good offices many a
pony lover is still enabled to indulge his tastes. Possibly,
however, not one specimen in a hundred assuming, of course,
that it has not been raised by one of those owners who, having
inherited a stud of ponies from his father, has permitted the
stock to interbreed just as they pleased can trace its pedigree
back to the founders of the race, without encountering a bar
sinister in the shape of a dash of foreign blood. In the case
of ponies, as of many other kinds of stock, the periodical in-
troduction of fresh blood is almost a necessary addition to the
operations of a breeder, and certainly if the cross selected is
the result of serious consideration, and its effects are closely
watched not for one generation, but for many the experi-
ment should be attended by success.
A possible increase of size may be apparent at first when a
new strain is brought in, but the necessary, and in the writer's
opinion, absolutely essential, amount of in-breeding being
applied, this difficulty should be surmounted without much
waste of time, or any great trouble on the part of the owner.
In the case of well-established strains, such as that of Mr. C.
W. Wilson, there should be no necessity for the introduction
of any outside cross, as the shape and characteristics of the
breed are perfect ; but when it happens that a breeder has to
commence the foundation of a strain with only crude materials
to work upon, it is but natural that he should endeavour at
once to gain possession of the required points and quality by
the help of such animals as already possess the points he
150 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
wants. It is useless to keep on in-breeding three-cornered
looking wretches with each other. This can only have the
effect of intensifying their faults, and making the eradication
of the same more difficult when the time arrives for their
effacement. In the case of good-looking little ones, the prin-
ciple to act upon is entirely reversed, but, as has been observed
in an earlier portion of this chapter, it should always be a case
of sire upon daughter and son upon dam, and not brother
upon sister.
Having thus expressed the difficulty that exists in dis-
covering the identity of many ponies as they exist, the writer,
with all diffidence, will attempt the task of presenting his
readers with a brief outline of the chief points to be sought
for in the most famous breeds. The selection of the order in
which they shall be dealt with is in itself a delicate duty to
have to perform, and, therefore, it may be best to deal with
them alphabetically.
The Exmoor is unquestionably a very grand little animal for
an ambitious breeder to commence working upon, always
provided that he is fortunate enough to obtain possession of
the right sort of materials. This variety is particularly hardy
and sure-footed, averaging about twelve hands in height, and
being usually of a good sound dark colour principally bays,
with mealy noses. Their heads are intelligent-looking and
fine, with remarkably sharp ears, and their shoulders very
good, which is a point that is very often deficient in a pony.
Their backs are powerful, and legs short with good feet. The
Exmoor is a most active, nippy pony, and is often a remark-
able jumper for his inches, whilst his constitution is of the
very best. That they afford a practical illustration of the pos-
sibility of in-breeding, combined with short commons, having
the effect of dwarfing horse-flesh, is a fact that cannot be denied,
and must be apparent to most persons who give their minds
to a contemplation of the subject ; but, unfortunately, there
are very few of the old strain to be met with. About the
time of the Battle of Waterloo, according to the assertions of
w
PONIES. 151
that not invariably veracious personage, " the oldest in-
habitant," the breed was vastly improved by the fact that
a foreign stallion, said to be the illustrious Katerfelto, was
running on Exmoor ; but since those far-off days, until
recently, there has not been much new blood introduced into
the district, and, unfortunately, but very few of the residents
have attempted to keep up the breed in any definite shape.
Irish Ponies can scarcely be dealt with seriously as a distinct
breed, for, although the writer would be the last to deny that
plenty of good-looking and most serviceable little ones cross
St. George's Channel every year, he is not aware of the exist-
ence of any particular characteristics of the Irish ponies, nor
has he gathered any authentic information relating to the
existence of a single particular strain amongst them.
New Forest Ponies have of late years received a great deal of
attention from admirers of this class of animal, and a couple
of years ago a society was formed for their special protection
and improvement. There is very little doubt but that the
original excellence of the race was largely due to the benefits
received from the services of the Arab stallion who was intro-
duced into the district over a hundred years ago, and who
worked wonders when crossed with the original stock, which
are stated to have flourished in the New Forest since the days
of King Canute.
Shetland Ponies have become fashionable again, but the
scarcity of good specimens and the extremely high prices
which are set upon them, have placed these natty little horses
beyond the reach of many who would like to own them.
Possibly the Shetland is absolutely the purest-bred variety of
horse in existence, that is to say, when he is pure bred, which
is not invariably the case with animals passed off as such.
His diminutive size, however, is so soon increased by the in-
troduction of a cross that the detection of foreign blood is not
often a matter of much difficulty, and certainly the majority
that can be picked up in the island are uncontaminated by such
a taint. The Marquis of Londonderry's strain is admittedly
152 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
the best in existence, but even his experienced manager finds
it tax his energies to the utmost to keep the size down, as
Master Shetland is disposed to grow too big when indulged
in respect of good feeding and housing. The head of a
Shetland is very delicate and fine, even for an animal of his
inches ; his short neck is small at the setting on of the head,
but thickens considerably at the shoulders, which are usually
short and straight. His back is short, ribs well sprung, and
quarters very big compared to his size, whilst his legs are flat
and feet rather round. Ten hands or a little under is the
average height, but smaller specimens are occasionally met
with, and when they are they realise a good deal of money
if well made. The prevailing colours are bay, brown and
dun, but occasionally a black or skewbald are met with,
and very rarely indeed a white.
Welsh Ponies have earned a most enviable notoriety for all-
round excellence, but this is scarcely to be wondered at when
it is remembered that their height varies so considerably that
a limit of nearly three hands is permissible among them.
Doubtless a good deal of new blood has been introduced to
these denizens of the Principality, but the value of the old
strain is clearly proved by the fact that, cross him as you may,
the Welshman will always stamp a heap of the pony about
his descendants. Varying as they do so much in height, it is
a very difficult matter with most men to be asked to pick out
a Welsh pony from a drove of which he knows nothing, but
a prominent eye is a peculiar characteristic of the race, and
this point is one that is regarded by many as an index to the
breeding of its possessor. They are usually very good in
legs and feet, but this is scarcely a remarkable feature in a
breed which has the advantage of being for the most part
raised in a mountainous country, where surefootedness is
absolutely indispensable to all animals inhabiting the same.
I 5
1
I 3
ASSES AND MULES. * 153
CHAPTER IX.
ASSES AND MULES.
ALTHOUGH in this country asses and mules do not occupy
so important a place as they do elsewhere, their numbers
are not inconsiderable, and as a good many mules are used for
light draught, we may give a few notes here in reference to
both varieties. The services of the ass are with us chiefly
utilised by costermongers, gipsies, small tradesmen and
hawkers ; they are also used for carrying young children, and
for seashore riding ; but the animals employed for these pur-
poses are, comparatively, of a small type. Very different are
the asses of France, Tuscany, Spain, Persia, Asia Minor,
Arabia and Egypt, which are of large size, and a big variety
is also maintained in the United States of America, and in
South America, for mule-breeding, which in various parts of
the world is an important industry.
One of the best breeds of asses is to be found in the
Poitou district of France, and of these an excellent description
was given by Mr. Charles L. Sutherland, in his report to the
Richmond Commission on Agriculture. From this we quote
the following : " Poitou is the French breeding ground and
nursery of the heavy draught mule. The Poitevin mule is
the best mule for farm work, and a good specimen is very
nearly as big and as heavy as an ordinary cart-horse. His
peculiarities are that he is short-legged, short-jointed, and
big barrelled, with great knees and hocks, and plenty of bone
below the knee, while his feet are comparatively large, and
154 * LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
less contracted than those of other mules. These peculiari-
ties are derived from the Poitevin jackass, a variety as curious
and perhaps as ugly as he is massive, short-legged and valu-
able, and one in which the Darwinian theory of selection has
been worked out in its entirety. The mules are worked on the
farms from the time they are eighteen months old, till they
reach three or four years, when they are sold to dealers for the
' Midi, 1 Spain, Italy, &c. They vary in height, from 15
hands to 16.2, on short legs, and a good 16 hands four-year-old
mule is worth from 60 to 80. Inferior animals may be
purchased at from ^"30 to ^"40 each. The chief fairs are held
in the months of January and February, but most of the good
animals will have been previously bought privately at the
farms, such is the demand that exists for them. A man may
buy fifty mules in St. Louis, in the United States, in the same
time that it will take him to buy a single mule on a Poitevin
farm where bargaining is carried on ad nauseam. The jackass,
or baudet, is the most important of all quadrupeds in Poitou.
He is the sire of the mules, and as such is the direct means of
putting large sums of money into the pockets of the farmers.
The price of a young improved animal of two years varies
from 80 to 120 ; a good proved mule getter, four years old,
from 14 to 15 hands high, is worth from 200 to ^320, and one
was sold in the Vendee, just before the Franco-Prussian war,
for 400. These valuable animals are kept in a filthy state,
are never groomed, and never taken out of the building in
which they are kept, except perhaps to be shown to a visitor
or possible purchaser. The fee for the service of each mare
is from i6s. to 205. The female asses are rarely parted with,
except for some defect. Their value may be set down at
between ^"24 and ^"40. The Conseil General of the Deux
Sevres votes annually the sum of ^200 for prizes for mules
and asses at the local shows. These establishments are
technically called ' ateliers,' and the fact of owning such an
establishment entitles the proprietor to the right to call him-
self Maitre,' and gives him a position in the country. Each
ASSES AND MULES. 155
stud farm consists of from four to seven stallion asses, a
stallion horse, a * teaser,' and one or more she-asses. The
mares are always brought to the stud farms, of which there
are 160 in Poitou, the Deux Sevres alone claiming 94, with
465 jackasses." The dimensions of a good fair specimen of
the Poitou ass, suitable for breeding heavy draught mules
from cart mares, are as follows : Height 14.1, forearm 19^
inches, knee 15 inches, below knee 8| inches, hock 17 J inches,
below hock 12 inches, greatest girth 77 inches, girth behind
shoulder 66 inches, length of head 25 inches, length of ear
15 inches, ears, tip to tip across, 32 inches. The Poitou
breeders always select black or brown bay donkey sires with
white bellies, and will not have greys. The tip of the nose
must be of a greyish white, and covered with a slight down.
Maltese asses have also been for many years highly prized
for breeding mules from blood mares both in the East and
West Indies, and they have consequently become very scarce
in Malta and Gozo. Sir Robert Biddulph, when Governor
of Cyprus, reported so favourably of the Cyprus donkey as
possessing every characteristic of the Maltese, that he was
directed to supply a certain number to the Government of
Bombay for mule breeding. The exportation proved perfectly
successful, and, on quitting his governorship, Sir Robert made
over to his cousin, Mr. Ralph Palmer, at Nazeing, Essex, a
jack and two jennies which he had kept in Cyprus for his own
use. Captain Fawkes describes the Maltese ass as follows :
" A pure-bred Maltese ass has a perfectly black body, neck
and legs, with white or light grey under the belly and inside
of legs. His head should be light, with active ears, and eyes
fringed with tan and white ; as also his muzzle, which gives a
nice expression to the animal's countenance. The height is
about 13.2, and the girth 5 ft. 3 in." Of the Cyprus ass,
General Sir R. Biddulph says : " As regards pedigree,
the Cyprus asses are said to be of Syrian blood ; the grey to
be a cross between the white ass of Damascus and the black
ass of Syria. The Cyprus asses are excellent animals to carry
heavy loads and are very good-tempered."
156 LIGHT HORSES '. BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Speaking generally of the ass, it may be said that he pos-
sesses unusual hardiness of constitution, and is capable of en-
during great fatigue, while he is sure-footed and little liable to
disease. Dr. Fleming, C.B., in the " Practical Horsekeeper"
(Upcott Gill), says, " In no other animal, perhaps, is good feed-
ing, kindness, grooming and housing more amply compensated
for by increased service and willing performance than with the
ass. His appetite is not large, and he is much less fastidious
about the quality of his food than the horse. A few pounds of
hay and oats in the course of the day and night will maintain
him in excellent condition, and even on hay or grass alone he
will perform a fair amount of work, but if the toil is exacting,
the food should be in proportion. A large-sized ass will get
through a wonderful amount of work on half-a-dozen pounds
of oats and eight or ten pounds of hay. The limbs of the
ass should be strong ; the knees and hocks large and free from
blemishes ; the feet not too small, and the hoofs sound ; the
chest wide ; the back unscarred ; the body rather long, but
compact ; the hind quarters and croup round and wide." The
period of gestation with the she ass is twelve months. The
foal is weaned at nine months. The ass should not be put to
hard work under four years of age.
The mule is a hybrid, the resulting produce of a cross
between the male ass and the mare horse ; the result of the
opposite cross, between the horse-stallion and the mare ass,
being the hinny. Although, as we have said, there is little
mule-breeding carried out in this country, the number of
mules in the United States is 2,314,000, while in France
there are 227,000 mules and 361,000 asses. Mules are in-
valuable as beasts of draught and beasts of burden in the
South of Europe and in certain parts of Northern and
Southern America. Dr. Fleming says the mule is one of
the very best beasts of burden man possesses, and for this
purpose he is employed chiefly in mountainous countries and
those in which wheel-carriage cannot be resorted to. He is
also greatly in request for transport purposes during war, his
ASSES AND MULES. 157
patience, robustness, and endurance of hardship and fatigue
rendering him particularly well-adapted for the exigencies
of field service. It is claimed that he is much stronger
than the ass, more capable of bearing fatigue than the
horse, less restive under the pressure of heavy weights on
his back, and his skin being harder and less sensitive,
renders him capable of resisting better the sun and rain.
He lives as long as the horse, costs less, is more suitable
as a beast of burden, and far superior in surefootedness.
Mares, 14 to 145 hands high, put to the largest donkeys, pro-
duce good mules for draught or saddle ; for pack, the best size
for mares is between 13 and 14 hands. The most convenient
height for mules is from 13 to 15! hands, the average being
14 to 15 hands. A mule is scarcely full grown at five years
old, and is fit for full work at six to seven. Mr. John
Thompson, agent to the Duke of Beaufort, at Badminton,
wrote as follows to the author of the " Book of the Horse":
" Mules were first introduced to Badminton about seventy
years since. The first Spanish jack was imported during the
Peninsular War, and the first mules by him were out of a
large active cart mare. Three or four which she bred were
upwards of 17^ hands high. Mule teams have been kept up
ever since, chiefly home bred ; and, in consequence of the
difficulty in procuring first-class jacks, imported animals have
latterly been introduced. We have bred them from both cart
and half-bred mares, and find that the stock from these are
more powerful than the imported animals, being larger in the
bone and of greater substance. We have had jacks from
Malta and Spain, but those from the latter country are
generally superior. The mule foals are very hardy, there being
no difficulty in rearing them, and, when grown up, they are
less expensive to keep than horses. Ordinary carters drive the
teams, which are composed of four mules each driven double,
and they will each with ease draw a load of 50 cwt., in addi-
tion to the waggon, at the rate of four miles an hour on a
good road. They are especially useful in carrying hay or corn
158 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
during harvest, being much quicker than horses with light
loads. They last longer than horses, a mule at thirty years
being about equal to a horse at twenty." Mr. C. L. Suther-
land, Down Hall, Farnborough, Kent, worked a farm of
300 acres (90 being arable), at Coombe, Croydon, entirely
with mules, which consumed a bushel of oats each per week,
with green clover in summer, and one and a-half bushels of
oats each per week, with hay, during winter. It is very
important that mules be driven by those who understand
their peculiarities and who can properly manage them. A
mule measuring 14^ hands high, should weigh not more than
1,000 Ibs. In the United States, mules in towns generally
receive a mixture of maize and oats in the proportion of i
to i, the quantity of the mixture allowed per diem varying
according to the size t of the animals from 4 to 10 Ibs.
Together with this grain ration, from 6 to 12 Ibs. of hay is
given.
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 159
CHAPTER X.
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES.
STABLES.
THERE is a right and a wrong way of building both a stable
and a house ; but the ideal in each case has often to give way
to the necessities of position and the shape of the ground
available for building purposes. In the country where land
is comparatively cheap, and space not of much account, very
many perfect ranges of stabling are to be found; but in
London and other large towns the most valuable horses are
frequently housed in most unhealthy habitations ; and the
wonder is that the veterinary surgeon is not in even greater
request than he is. Some of the cab stables are as bad as they
can be ; but the salvation of the cab horse is that he spends
so much of his time in the open air, thereby counteracting
the pernicious effects of his close dwelling ; where, however,
improvement is not possible, suggestions are of no use. It is
often necessary to pack away the greatest number of horses
in the least possible space ; and when this takes the form of
a long stable with a door often the only means of ventila-
tion at one end, it will be readily understood that the un-
lucky steeds at the far end get no air to speak of certainly
no fresh air.
So far as is possible, stables should be both light and airy.
Sunlight is beneficial to both men and animals ; and a horse
160 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
brought out of a dark dungeon sort of place is very apt to shy
and be co lie frightened. Moreover, where there is darkness
there is generally dirt, for a stableman cannot see to thoroughly
cleanse the place, and unless a stable be scrupulously clean
it cannot be healthy, while the slightest particle of stale food
left in the manger will often cause a horse to refuse his corn.
Nevertheless, we know that at any rate in towns, it is im-
possible to have stables as they should be, and in all pro-
bability both cab horses and expensive carriage horses will
continue to be housed in places which are admittedly unfit
for equine habitation. When about to rent stabling, how-
ever, the horse-owner would do well to decline at any price
stables which are dark, or which have no other means of
ventilation than a door or window at one end, if, that is to
say, the stable contains more than about two stalls. We
may, however, remark in passing that by light stables we
do not mean glaring ones, and no horse should be housed in
a light stable, the walls of which are whitewashed all round.
In stalls the wall above the manger to rather more than
the height of a horse's head, should be of a cool, neutral tint
colour ; and in loose boxes the same arrangement may prevail
all round.
It is scarcely within the scope of this work to treat of the
necessity for adequate ventilation from the scientific point of
view ; but the reader may be reminded that without a sufficient
supply of fresh air the blood cannot be in a proper state ; and
when the horse breathes, whatever there is impure in the blood
is given off into the air, so that if there be no adequate venti-
lation the horse breathes again the impure air, consequently
the purity of the blood and the general health of the horse
depend greatly upon the quality of the air inhaled into the
lungs.
In that most excellent book which should be in the library
of every horse-owner, " Horses and Stables," by Sir F. Fitz-
wygram, the author says : " Fortunately the peculiar pro-
perties, or rather the state of the gases which respectively
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. l6l
constitute foul and pure air, afford great facilities for ventila-
tion. Heat causes all matters to expand, some more and
some less ; but gases under the influence of heat expand very
rapidly, and to a very great degree, and as they expand they of
course become lighter."
As a general rule, foul air in a stable is also heated air. It
is only necessary to breathe on the hand to feel that our
breath is warmer than the air. The foul air being lighter
than the pure air, the former rises, and this of course suggests
that the most efficient method of getting rid of it is to provide
an outlet at the top of the stable where the foul air will
collect. In principle, therefore, it is easy enough to ventilate
a stable, but in practice difficulties often present themselves.
Some stables are low and have lofts over them, and when this
is the case the employment of louvre boards the best means
of ventilation is impossible. Amateur ventilation often takes
the form of knocking holes in the walls here and there, with
the result that the horse stands in a perpetual draught. The
owner knows that ingress must be provided for the fresh air,
and an exit for the foul air ; but in making one and the other
a draught is created, and this will also be the case when there
is also ventilation from above, for as soon as the foul air has
escaped the pure air will come in at the openings and draw
down on the unlucky horses below.
In order, therefore, to get a properly ventilated stable it is
necessary to have apertures at the roof to allow the foul air to
escape, and openings lower down to permit of the ingress of
fresh air, and how to do this without at the same time creat-
ing a draught is one of the difficulties against which he who
constructs a stable has to contend ; it is far easier to provide
for the escape of the foul air than for the ingress of the fresh
supply. With the aid of professional advice it is a compara-
tively simple matter to have a properly ventilated stable
where space allows of the length, breadth, and height being
just what they should be ; but, when buildings of all sorts of
shapes and plans have to be occupied, the difficulties are
ii
l62 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
great enough to baffle even the most learned in sanitary
engineering. At any rate anything is better than a stuffy
stable, and if the worst comes to the worst it is better that
doors and windows should be left open, even if a canvas
screen has to be used to protect the horses nearest to the
opening, or if they have to be additionally clothed, than that
they should constantly have to breathe foul air. When the
horses are at work common-sense suggests that doors should
be left open, and especially when the stabling consists of
single loose boxes which do not communicate with each
other. These are frequently defective in ventilation, and
windows and doors are the only means whereby places can be
kept sweet. Stables built up against a wall are the most
difficult to ventilate properly, because no ingress of fresh air
can be provided through the external wall ; otherwise, a
simple plan is to have a perforated brick inserted below the
manger. This will supply each horse with a fair quantity of
fresh air, and if the architectural peculiarities of the building
allow of an escape for foul air at the top, the main require-
ments of ventilation will have been complied with.
PAVING.
A good system of paving and draining is indispensable,
and if either or both are defective a sweet stable must not be
expected.
As a material for a floor we want something that will not
absorb the urine, that will wear a reasonably long time, and
that will afford a good foothold to horses. Each of these
requisites is important, but in the opinion of the writer too
much is often sacrificed to foothold. In order to gain this,
channels are cut this way and that, the edges of bricks are
bevelled away, so that when two are laid alongside of each
other a channel is formed. So long as they run longitudinally
there may not be much harm in these grooves, but it must be
remembered that every inequality in the surface holds urine
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 163
and particles of litter, and these tend to make a stable smell.
On the whole the writer is inclined to advocate a paving of the
very best yellow clinker bricks, and with no more slope either
to the centre or fore and aft than is absolutely necessary to
cause the water to run off. The bricks should, of course, be
laid in cement about four or five inches deep. The channels
are best left alone as the litter will give the horse a foothold.
DRAINING.
We learn from the Badminton Library that the Duke of
Beaufort solves the difficult question of how to drain stables
by having no drains at all. Each loose box is paved with
stone slabs, and there is no drain whatever, the moisture being
absorbed by the straw. There is no doubt a good deal to be
said in favour of this plan, inasmuch as the smell of a stable
arises not so much from what has been freshly dropped as
from the remains of previous droppings, and the odour caused
by faulty drains, those which permit of the smell to travel
from the sort of cistern sometimes used. The writer speaks
feelingly on this subject, as a few years ago he took a house
to which was attached some apparently excellent stabling.
On opening the doors of the loose boxes the smell was, to use
a common phase, "enough to knock you down." A workman
was sent for, and it was then discovered that the urine from
each of the boxes drained into a tank which was connected
with the drain pipe. In this tank was found the deposit of
years, and the only wonder was how the horses of the pre-
vious tenant had managed to exist at all.
The malodorous state of the above mentioned stables evi-
dently arose from a desire to keep the urine for manuring
purposes an object laudable in itself, yet as a rule wholly
incompatible with having stables in a sweet and wholesome
condition, unless the connection between the tank and the
pipe is effectually cut off. In draining, as in ventilating,
position may enter largely into the question ; and a plan
164 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
which may be quite feasible in one situation may be im-
practicable in another. Generally speaking, however, surface
drains, as they are called, are the best, because they are
more easily kept clean ; if drains run underground anywhere
near a stable there is always a very great chance of foul-
ness. In consequence of the high price of straw, peat moss
litter is a good deal used both in private and trade stables ;
but whatever may be its merits in other ways and it has
several it has a tendency to choke the drains. This is a
somewhat serious matter when stables are drained in the
ordinary way, with a drain in the middle of the box or stall,
and where peat moss is used it will, in the long run, be found
better to cover the drain with some contrivance which will
allow of its removal when required, so that the drains may be
flushed.
At the same time it is only a small number of horse owners
who are in a position to have their stables exactly as they
wish. Consequently, in spite of all theory on the subject, the
horse owner will probably find himself in possession of a
stable with underground drains. When this is the case it
is absolutely necessary that the drains should be properly
trapped ; the gratings in the centre of the stall or loose box
must be lifted every day, all scraps of litter must be taken out,
and the drains flushed regularly. This indispensable proceed-
ing is of a somewhat unsavoury nature, and as it gives no
visible results is often shirked. Fortunately the nose is a very
good guide on entering a stable from the fresh air, and should
a pungent smell of ammonia greet the visitor he would do
well to question his groom about the drains. A good deal
more might be written on the subject of drainage, but the
object of these pages is merely to put the horse-owner on his
guard. No directions would suffice to enable any one pre-
viously unacquainted with the details of draining to devise
a system for his own establishment ; the most effectual plan,
therefore, is to call in the assistance of an expert, just as one
would in connection with the drains of a house.
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 165
There are in existence two bodies professing themselves
ready to give advice and aid in the matter of drains. One is
the "Sanitary Security Association" (i, Mitre Court, Fleet
Street, London, E.G.), the other the "North Eastern Sanitary
Inspection Association," which has Sir Matthew White Ridley
for its President. The addresses of the latter are 4, Chapel
Walk, Cross Street, Manchester, and (Head Office), Neville
Street, Newcastle-on-Tyne. Possibly one or both of these
Societies may keep an expert in stable drains, but the reader
may be strongly advised, when seeking professional advice, to
have recourse to some one who has made a special study of
stables. Meantime he may read with much profit to himself
the sections dealing with stables in that excellent book
" Horses and Stables," by Sir F. Fitzwygram (Routledge),
and a book on stables from the pen of Mr. John Birch, the
architect (Blackwood). As already mentioned, there may be
several reasons why it is impossible to render stables perfect ;
but, if proper ventilation and drainage can be secured at an
outlay within the means of the owner or tenant, it will be
money well expended.
The number of cubic feet of air for each horse is a matter
of some importance ; but Sir F. Fitzwygram tells us that it
is not known for certain what is the minimum quantity of air
required for each horse, but possibly about 1,200 cubic feet
would be sufficient.
STABLE FITTINGS.
Loose boxes are always to be preferred to stalls for all
horses, but it is not always that they can be provided. Stalls
should have a minimum width of 6 feet, and should be io feet
deep. Horses like company, so the partitions should not be
high enough to prevent them seeing one another, though on
the top of the wooden partitions there may be some open
iron work. This arrangement should be adopted in all ranges
of stabling ; and in the writer's opinion the very worst form
l66 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
of stabling is where each loose box is unconnected with any
other, and is simply a cell for the solitary confinement of each
horse.
Doors sometimes work on runners so as to slide an arrange-
ment that is sometimes necessary owing to circumscribed
space. There is, however, no objection to a common hinged
door, which of course should open outwards. Kay's locks
will be found convenient for stables, as they cannot be opened
by the horse, and they require no slamming. Stable doors
must be both wide and high four feet wide at least, and
eight feet high. These measurements will guard against the
harness or hip bone from being caught by the door posts,
provided, of course, that the horse be led in and out carefully,
while if he throw up his head he will not strike it against
the top a mishap that sometimes makes it difficult to get a
horse in and out of his stable.
The ordinary hemp halter should never be seen in a private
stable. All the horses should wear leather head collars, and
the rope chains are noisy and leather straps get gnawed
should not be longer than is needed to allow of the horse lying
down in comfort. The log should be sufficiently heavy to
keep the rope taut. There are one or two contrivances in
which a spring is used instead of a log ; but they sometimes
lead to the use of a leather strap for the purpose of easier
winding.
Mangers, &c., can be had at prices to suit all classes of
buyers ; but the objection to wooden mangers is that particles
of food can lodge in the angles at the ends and sides, whereas
with those which are round it is impossible. On the inside
of the manger there should be a slight rim to dimmish the
chance of the corn being thrown out. There are several firms
which make iron stable fittings; and from the show rooms the
horse-owner may select everything he wants. He will find
that the hay rack is, in these iron fittings, on a level with the
manger the proper place for it ; the old plan of placing it high
up is most absurd, for not only is the unlucky horse com-
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 167
pelled to assume an uncomfortable attitude when eating his
hay, but the seeds and dust necessarily come into his eyes.
STABLE MANAGEMENT.
Having made the stable as complete as possible, the next
thing is to adopt a judicious course of stable management,
in which of course the groom will play a very prominent part.
Some persons are fond of saying that they are their own stud
grooms, but practically the groom does almost what he likes.
As he has to deal with valuable property it is advisable to en-
gage as good a man as can be procured ; and if one can be
thoroughly recommended it is worth while to give an extra
shilling or two in wages. A man who has been trained under
a good stud groom is always to be preferred to one who has
picked up his knowledge anyhow ; but stable servants of all
kinds are desperately conservative in their notions, and can
hardly be prevailed upon to make any change from what they
have been taught.
Feeding. Every horse must be fed with reference to his size,
his natural appetite, and the work he has to do. The 16 stone
hunter needs a more liberal dietary than the 15 hand hack.
There are no horses over 15 hands which should have less
than three-quarterns of corn per day, and this will be about
the right quantity for horses that do easy work in the park,
and it may suffice to feed them three times a day ; but the
writer has a preference for feeding four times a day. Hunters
will always require at least four quarterns of corn a day,
while weight-carriers and those which hunt twice a week will
need five or six quarterns. A quartern is the fourth part of a
peck; and, when oats weigh 40 Ibs to the bushel, weighs 2| Ibs.
Beans should be given to hard working horses alone, and to
no horses until they have turned five years old. Beans
should be old, split, and a double handful twice a day will be
plenty.
Opinions vary as to the best method of giving hay a very
l68 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
necessary article of stable diet, inasmuch as a horse's stomach
needs mechanical distension. Some people give no chaff at
all with the oats, others give no more than a handful or two,
while others, again, give almost all the hay in the form of
chaff. When long hay is given there is nearly always a great
deal of waste, as horses pull it out of the rack, let it fall on
the floor, and trample it under foot ; in my opinion, therefore,
it is the better plan to give nearly all the hay in the form of
chaff, giving no more than a little long hay the first thing in
the morning and the last thing at night.
The quantity of hay to be given will vary from one to two
trusses, that is to say, from 56 to 112 Ibs. One truss, which
gives a daily allowance of 8 Ibs., is the very least that can
be given to horses of 15 hands and under; for an ordinary
park hack about 10 Ibs. may be set down as the day's portion.
For weight-carrying hunters and full-sized harness horses two
trusses a week will scarcely be too much ; though in some
hunting stables it is the custom never to give more than a
truss and a-half a week, but to give a few extra oats ; but
hunters able to carry very heavy men will want not less than
two trusses of hay per week, no matter how many oats they
have.
Some people give a little bran with the food twice a day or
oftener, but the utility of the practice may be doubted ; bran
in a dry state is an astringent, and therefore not required
with the majority of horses. In the form of a mash it is a
laxative, and a bran mash should be given at least once a
week to counteract the feverish symptoms which are supposed
to result from high feeding, but which, it is submitted, need
not follow if a proper system of feeding be adopted. To the
dietary of hay, oats, beans and bran mash, some carrots
should be added in season, and a little green meat in the
summer ; but very much depends upon watering, and in this
connection grooms have much to learn.
It is commonly said that unless a horse be in a state
bordering on high fever he cannot be in high condition ,
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 169
and in pursuance of this theory, horses are stuffed with
stimulating food, and then physic is administered to cool
them down. It is submitted that any system of feeding
and stable management which engenders this fever, and de-
mands physic to check it, is wrong, at any rate in the case
of horses which are wanted, not on a particular occasion like
a race horse, but for two days a week or three days a fort-
night, like a hunter.
It may be admitted that there cannot be much variation in
the matter of food. Hay, oats and beans must form the
stable diet of saddle and harness horses, and bran mashes,
carrots, and green food can only come in as alteratives. It is
true that wheat, barley and some kinds of prepared food are
sometimes recommended ; but, on the whole, it will be found
expedient to confine the articles of food to those which have
stood the test of time, especially when the horses are hunters,
or harness horses whose work is hard and fast. It is, of
course, well known that the London General Omnibus Com-
pany feed largely on maize, and for horses doing slow work it
answers fairly well when mixed with oats, but it is too heating
and fattening for horses doing fast or very easy work. New
oats should not be given to horses. They often cause horses to
scour, and to sweat with the least exertion. Why this effect
should be produced by new oats is not, so far as the writer
is aware, known ; but the fact is plain enough. By Christ-
mas, however, a change comes over the oats which have been
cut during a preceding harvest, and after Christmas those
which have been "well got" are permitted in many hunting
stables, though it is better if possible not to use oats till they
are one year old ; that is to say, oats harvested in 1893 should
not be used till the autumn of 1894. Some people prefer
white oats, others pin their faith on black ones ; but so long
as they are thin-skinned, full of husk, and weigh at least
thirty-eight pounds to the fair bushel, it does not matter
whether they be black or white ; but palpably yellow oats
should not be chosen when the others are available.
170 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Almost of more importance than food to the hard-working
horse is a proper system of watering ; and the writer ventures
with some confidence to express his conviction that if grooms
paid more attention to this important detail of stable manage-
ment, feverish symptoms would not be nearly so common as
they are, nor would the dose of physic be in such constant
request. Save on one or two occasions to be mentioned in
due course, horses should be allowed to drink as much as
they please, and this, if they are not kept without water too
long, will never be of any great amount, for horses drink no
more than nature requires. But, as a horse has no means of
knowing what work is to be required of him, the groom's
common-sense must step in if the horse be wanted for fast
work soon after stable hours, and the usual quantity must
then be diminished. On hunting mornings, especially if the
horse have some distance to travel to the covert side, there is
not the least reason to stint the animal to any great extent,
or, as is sometimes done, to deprive him of water altogether.
This is a most cruel practice, and is based merely upon
the prejudice of the groom. If experiments were tried it
would be found that no hunter would be one whit the worse
for a reasonable amount of water on hunting mornings.
During the hunting season hounds never meet before half-
past ten, so something like three hours would elapse between
the consumption of the water and the commencement of the
work, and this is surely long enough to enable him to get rid
of a moderate amount.
After hunting it rests with the master himself to take the
first step towards comforting his horse ; and no time should
be lost in giving him half a bucket of gruel, or failing that, of
chilled water. A cake of Rumney's food carried in the
waistcoat pocket renders the rider independent of the meal
or flour of the inn, and enables him to give his horse a bucket
of nourishing gruel whenever a little hot water is obtainable.
On arriving home he will have more gruel, and before he is
done up for the night the hunter should have thoroughly
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. LJl
quenched his thirst. Horses should always be watered before
they are fed, as owing to their internal construction there is
some danger of working some of the oats into the gut if the
process be reversed.
The best possible arrangement is to let horses have water
always before them. The receptacle containing it can easily
be fitted with a cover ; and it will be found that horses so
supplied rarely take more than a sip or two at a time, and so
are never unfit for moderate work at a moment's notice.
The cover can be put on the trough before a horse goes out
hunting, and when he returns hot and tired; but at other
times the horse can be left to his own devices, and he will
take no harm.
The idea that a horse must subsist during the hunting
season on dry stimulating food with the minimum of water
has no consideration, scientific or otherwise, to support it, and
a hunter can no more be at his best if stinted of water than
he can on a short allowance of oats. Unless solid and
liquid are consumed in due proportion mischief is sure to
result, and when too little water is given feverish symptoms
are at once engendered, and doses of physic are required. Any
groom can, if he choose, test for himself whether it is advis-
able to start a horse for a long and heavy day's work either
without any water at all or with an insufficient allowance.
Foot beagles are now to be found in nearly every country,
and let a groom ask for a day off, and have a day's running
with them, abjuring all liquid for his breakfast. If he will
also carry out another fad, viz., not to allow hunters to take
anything out of their own stables, he will be in a position to
form some opinion as to the merits of the system. Seldom is
the groom found to refuse a proffered glass of beer, be the
occasion what it may ; yet many are found to subject their
horses to a thirst which they themselves would not endure for
five minutes.
Grooming 'is a very important part of stable management,
since it is to the skin of the horse what washing is to the
172 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
human skin. It is a mistake to wash either the body or legs
of a horse ; it does no good, and takes up a great deal of time,
as after washing the horse must be rubbed till the coat is per-
fectly dry. Good strapping, however, cleanses the skin by
clearing off what has exuded from the pores, and conduces
to a good coat, and it may here be remarked that no groom
should in any circumstances be permitted to give any drug
with the idea of producing a glossy coat. The curry-comb,
it need hardly be said, should never be used to a hunter or
harness horse ; its use now is to cleanse the brush from the
scurf coming from the body. In order that time may not be
wasted, and that the horse may not suffer by make-shifts,
there should be as many sets of "tools" in use as there are
helpers, so that each man may have a set to himself.
Clothing is a matter of individual taste. The best kersey
with the owner's initials on it looks very nice and smart ; but
for all practical purposes the fawn rug is just as good ; while
for night wear, the outside rug may be of jute lined ; these
rugs are very cheap and useful. When a horse is at work
the opportunity should be taken of exposing his rugs to the
air, instead of leaving them huddled up in the manger as
careless servants will sometimes do, and they should be
periodically beaten and brushed. In short, extreme cleanli-
ness is a sine qua non in all departments of the stable.
In many establishments there is a perpetual battle going
on between hot stables and light clothing, and cool stables
and heavy clothing. Both arrangements have their advocates
just as both have their weak points. In this matter, however,
as in others, extremes should be avoided. It is useless to
say that a stable should be kept up to a certain tempera-
ture, because during the continuance of a hard frost the
stable may be many degrees below the ideal temperature;
and when that is the case the owner need not fear to put
on loose bandages, three rugs and even the hood ; but speak-
ing generally, a couple of rugs and a moderately warm stable
will best preserve the horse's health.
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 173
Exercise is the last, though by no means the least of the
things necessary to keep a horse in health. The amount of
exercise will, of course, depend upon the amount of work the
horse is required to perform. The doctor's horse which
daily goes his rounds will need none at all ; whereas, the
hack used on fine days for an hour and a-half or in the park
requires a good deal, say two hours every morning, and ladies'
horses should always have their backs kept down by plenty
of work. Some grooms always walk their horses at exercise ;
but this is a mistake, as two hours at one pace is apt to
produce a certain amount of leg weariness, so spells of slow
trotting should be introduced. Nor is it advisable always to
exercise horses on the flat. A moderately hilly route should
be selected if possible. In the case of small studs cantering
or galloping at exercise will seldom or never be necessary.
With an overgrown stud, on the other hand, the members of
which come out but comparatively seldom, a sharp canter or
two as the day for the horse's " turn " draws near, may be
expedient ; but as a well paid and presumably experienced
stud groom will have charge of these large studs, nothing
need be said here as to their management. No horse, how-
ever, whatever his value, should be exercised without knee-
caps.
FEEDING AND WATERING.
The following more detailed notes on feeding and watering
horses are by Dr. George Fleming, C.B., F.R.C.V.S. They
appeared originally in the Live Stock Journal Almanac :
" The subject of horse -feeding is one which should interest
every horse-owner and horse attendant, as upon the manner
in which horses are fed will greatly depend their health and
usefulness. The judicious feeding of all animals domesti-
cated by man assumes considerable importance from an
economical point of view ; but with the horse it is a matter
of the greatest consideration, and for more reasons than apply
174 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
to the other creatures which minister to our comfort, conveni-
ence, and pleasure.
" In the first place, it is his strength and speed which
render him so valuable to man, and to ensure his developing
these qualities to the greatest advantage the food must be
different in quality to that given to ruminants ; while the
mode of feeding should also be adjusted to his anatomical
and physiological peculiarities. His stomach is small and
only capable of containing about three or four gallons of
fluid, whereas that of the ox may hold from twenty to twenty-
two gallons.
"The horse must, therefore, receive food more frequently,
and, consequently, in smaller quantities at a time, than
ruminants, in order that he may digest properly, and without
injury to the stomach and other organs.
" The chief or typical food of the horse, in this country
at any rate, is hay and oats, and of the two, perhaps, the hay
is more essential to maintain life and health under ordinary
circumstances, when unusual exertion is not demanded.
Horses can live altogether on hay provided they are not
called upon to do any, or at least much, labour, and it is
therefore designated the material for supplying the internal
or vital work of the body; but if the muscular system is
called upon for unwonted exertion, then more nutritive food,
in smaller bulk, must be given to enable the body to perform
what may be called external work. Horses can therefore
live and thrive upon hay or grass alone, and even do a
certain amount of slow work but then, a large quantity is
needed. For instance, for a moderate-sized horse from
eighteen to twenty pounds of hay, or even more, are needed
as essential diet that is, to perform the internal work of the
body for twenty-four hours.
" So long as a horse has plenty of time to eat it, a hay
diet causes no inconvenience because of its bulk, but when
leisure is not allowed, or when he has to exert himself after
a sufficient meal of hay, then injury is likely to be done.
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 175
It has been remarked that, in the process of mastication, dry
hay becomes mixed with four times its weight of saliva, while
oats only require an amount of saliva equivalent to their own
weight. It is said that a horse, in eating ten pounds of hay,
loads his stomach with forty pounds of saliva in addition, or
fifty pounds in all ; but in consuming an equivalent amount
of oats, say five pounds, he needs but five pounds of saliva,
or ten pounds altogether. Therefore, in introducing into the
system a given amount of flesh-forming aliment in the form
of oats, the stomach is filled to only one-fifth the extent that
would be necessary if the same quantity of nutrient material
were given in the form of hay. But the ten pounds of hay,
with its saliva, could not all be accommodated in the stomach
at once, but only at three times, unless the organ is to be
distended to more than the normal plenitude of two-thirds of
its full capacity. The five pounds of oats, on the other hand,
with its five pounds of saliva, will not fill the stomach to one-
third of its capacity, but leaves the amplest opportunity for
freedom of movement and the secretion of the gastric juices.
It might be added that the ready digestibility and assimila-
tion of the food is a very important matter, and especially for
hard-working horses, with which time is all-important. If
the food is difficult of mastication, and requires a lengthy
period to reduce it to the necessary condition of crushing and
insalivation before being swallowed, then the animal gets less
rest, and so much power is wasted by the muscular move-
ment of the jaws ; while, if it is indigestible, it takes a longer
time to reach the blood, and fatigues the stomach before it
is in a fit state to enter that vital fluid, besides loading the
bowels with matters which are often worse than useless.
" If we attempt to feed a working horse upon hay alone,
we must give him much more than if he were not doing any
labour ; if, for instance, he is allowed twenty pounds per day,
as has been observed by the American Live Stock Journal, he
will require four or five hours in order to masticate it pro-
perly ; and if this quantity of hay must be saturated with
176 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
four times its weight of saliva, so making a total of one
hundred pounds, the stomach will be filled to five or six times
of the physiological condition of two-thirds of its capacity.
For really hard work the ration would have to be doubled ;
but if it be increased to thirty pounds only, the period of
mastication will be prolonged to at least six hours daily, and
the mass of material swallowed will amount to one hundred
and fifty pounds, which will fill the stomach eight times in
succession. This state of things is manifestly incompatible
with hard or prolonged work, to say nothing of the over-
distended belly, the impaired wind, and the soft flabby
muscles, which unfit the horse for anything faster than a
walking pace, or severe exertion even at that. One of the
chief causes of one form of broken wind, which consists of
rupture of the air cells of the lungs, is working horses
severely while their stomach and bowels are distended with
bulky food.
" For these reasons, then, horses which are required to work
for long periods, or to get through a large amount of exertion
in a comparatively short time, should have their food presented
to them in the best form possible with regard to mastication,
digestion, and assimilation, so that time and fatigue may be
saved and the animals maintained in a fit state. The harder
the work the more the bulk of the food should be diminished
and its nutritiousness increased ; and to ensure this the hay
should be reduced in quantity and the oats increased in pro-
portion to the demands made on the physical energies ; always
remembering, however, that a certain amount of bulk is a
physiological necessity, and the horse cannot live upon oats
alone. Chopped hay and crushed oats dispense with an
immense amount of mastication, while thorough assimilation
is secured, waste averted, and strength and time are saved.
" The quantity and kind of food required by horses will
depend, of course, upon the work demanded from them ;
insufficiency or inferior quality will not maintain vigour, while
more than is necessary tends to plethora a condition which
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 177
has its risks to health, and also implies waste of forage. The
hay and corn market is not so expensive as the horse market,
and there is no economy in underfeeding. Bad food makes
bad horses, and insufficient food produces weakly ones.
" Oats and hay should be sound and good. In judging of
them for food it is well to remember the characters by which
good may be differentiated from bad oats. In the first place,
each grain consists of two parts, husk and kernel, the latter
possessing considerable alimentary value, and the former
scarcely any at all ; so that oats which contain the largest
proportion of kernel are those which are most serviceable to
the horse. The relative proportions of kernel and husk vary
considerably in different kinds of oats. In some samples the
husk forms as much as 35 and 40 per cent., while in good grain
it may be as low as 20 per cent. It is of importance sometimes
to estimate quickly the feeding value of oats, and this can
readily be done by separating the kernel from the husk by
hand in a number of seeds, and then weighing each. This
gives a better and a more practical indication than is afforded
by the external appearance of the grains, their colour, or their
weight collectively. It may be noted, besides, that oats which
have the smallest proportion of husk are those which are most
readily and thoroughly digested ; and, as already mentioned,
crushed oats are more quickly and perfectly digested than
when they are whole.
" The weight of the oats is not altogether a trustworthy
index to their nutritive value, though it is that which is gener-
ally adopted ; the thickness of husk and its closeness to the
kernel, as well as the dryness of the grain, will influence its
density; so that there is often a rather wide diversity in
different samples, with regard to their natural weight and
nutritive value. The ordinary oats, which weigh only 38 Ibs.
to the bushel, are not very economical for feeding, and especially
if they come from Sweden or Russia, where their quality
and particularly that of the Swedish oats is rather low. It
is better to give a smaller quantity of heavier thin-skinned
oats.
12
178 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
" Of course, the oats should be sound , when musty they
are likely to do great damage. And the same may be said of
the hay. This varies considerably in feeding value, according
to not only the grasses which enter into its composition, but
also according to the situation, the soil, the district, and even
to the countries in which it is grown ; the manner in which it
is preserved or made also influences its value as food.
" Other grains besides oats are sometimes substituted for
these, wholly or in part. Maize is one of them, and is some-
what largely in use for omnibus and tramway horses. When
the seeds are broken it is very digestible and economical, and
may replace one-third, two-thirds, or even the entire ration
on occasion ; but good oats are preferable, as they sustain
animals which are undergoing severe labour much better, and
do not soften the liver like maize.
" Beans are a valuable adjunct to the food of hard-working
horses when given in the proportion of one-tenth or one-twelfth
to the other grain, and the same may be said of peas.
" With regard to the quantity of food required by horses,
this, as has been stated, should depend, over and above a
certain amount required to maintain health, upon the work
exacted, the size of the animal, and also, to some extent, to
the degree of appetite. Something will likewise depend upon
the mixture of grains, in which the object is generally to
furnish what is deficient in one kind of grain by adding
another which contains it in larger proportion ; a course
which is advantageous from a dietetic, and often also from
an economical point of view.
" I have elsewhere insisted that to maintain a just balance
between food and work, which the condition of the horse will
pretty accurately demonstrate, the owner must be ready to
increase, and as promptly diminish, the grain allowance as
demands upon it are created or disappear. If the quality of
the food is not sufficient to furnish material for the repair of
*
waste tissue, the deficiency must be met by the consumption
of an increased quantity. But, as has been pointed out, an
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 179
excessive supply of comparatively innutritions food to com-
pensate for defective quality is not only embarrassing to the
stomach, but hampers the horse with bulky dead weight.
Severely worked horses require much more reparative
material than those which are not so taxed, and they should
therefore be supplied with more concentrated food, easier of
digestion, and rich in flesh-forming qualities.
" The chief tramway company in London, for instance,
gives: maize, 13 Ibs. ; oats, 3 Ibs. ; beans, i Ib. ; hay and
straw in chaff of the first 7 Ibs., the second 3 Ibs. ; while the
Edinburgh Tramway Company allows : oats, 8 Ibs. ; maize,
4 Ibs. ; beans, 4 Ibs. ; hay, 14 Ibs. ; Marshlam, 2 Ibs. In
Paris these horses received in 1886: oats, 5.50 Ibs.; maize,
12.92 Ibs.; beans, .10 Ibs. ; bran and carrots, .50 Ibs. ; hay,
8.62 Ibs. ; straw, 7.30 Ibs.
" The scale of rations for our troop-horses is usually 10 Ibs.
of oats, 12 Ibs. of hay, and 8 Ibs. of straw per day, the latter
being used for litter, and the hay is rarely chopped. When
in camp 2 Ibs to 4 Ibs. extra of oats are allowed, but no straw.
" For hunters during the season the grain allowance is high,
from 1 6 to 18 Ibs., with 8 to 10 Ibs. of hay, and 2 or 3 Ibs of
carrots per day. Frequently i or 2 Ibs. of beans are added to
the ration.
" Carriage-horses, when hard worked, should be fed like
hunters ; ponies and under-sized horses do not require so
much hay or grain.
" When horses require to be fed during work, grain should
be chiefly given, the bulky food being allowed at resting time
as at night. Care should be taken not to overfeed horses
at any meal ; and if the grain is not mixed with chopped hay,
then it should be given alone, and the hay allowed afterwards.
" Horses ought not to be fed, if possible, soon before going
to work, but sufficient time should be given for digestion to be
well advanced before exertion is undergone. Food should be
allowed during the day at intervals of three or four hours, and
long fasts ought to be avoided, as well as hurried feeding.
l8o LIGHT HOR.SES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
"The former leads to imperfect mastication and over-
distension of the stomach when food is offered, with con-
sequent indigestion ; and the latter has a like result. When
a long fast is unavoidable, then a quantity of warm gruel or a
little mash should be given, to be followed by the ordinary
feed shortly afterwards.
" An important point in feeding is to apportion the feeds in
such a way that each will be consumed at the time it is given.
" Care is necessary in allowing water to horses. It should
never be given soon after feeding, but always before it, and
especially if the food is grain. If the horse is very thirsty,
the thirst may be assuaged and the feed given a short time
afterwards ; if any more water is needed it ought not to be
offered within two or three hours after feeding. When horses
can always have access to water, they drink less, and so run
less risk of indigestion and colic than when it is only offered
at wide intervals. It is, therefore, the best plan to allow them
to have water, like their food, frequently ; if properly watered,
they will not drink any more than is necessary for them.
While undergoing severe exertion, they should receive very
little. There are circumstances when it may be necessary to
restrict an unlimited supply of cold water, as when a horse is
exhausted from fatigue, has undergone prolonged abstinence,
or when very cold, or even excessively hot. In such cases, a
small quantity only should be allowed until the body is in a
fit state to receive more ; though a larger quantity may be
given if it is tepid, or in the form of gruel.
" It should be unnecessary to add that water given to
horses ought to be clean and fresh."
THE CARE OF YOUNG FOALS.
The following observations on the rearing of young foals are
offered for the consideration of persons who, engaged in horse
breeding, may yet not have acquired that practical experience
of its risks and requirements which is essential to guard them
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. l8l
from unnecessary trouble and loss. For upon the care be-
stowed on foals during the early months of their existence,
will almost entirely depend their immunity from disease, and
their subsequent vigorous growth and perfect development.
To those who have had ample experience, directed by intelli-
gent observation, the information I venture to give may be
altogether superfluous, though I have more than once been
consulted by such persons on some of the subjects to which I
am about to briefly refer.
It is acknowledged by those who have had much to do with
foal rearing that very much of its success depends upon the
manner in which the mares are treated during pregnancy, and
immediately before and after parturition. The food and the
exercise they receive, or the work they may have to perform,
are important factors in the business, as idleness and obesity
are not conducive to the production of vigorous healthy foals,
any more than is overwork, bad or insufficient food, or any
other debilitating cause. If mares must be worked during
pregnancy and judicious labour is undoubtedly beneficial
then they must be liberally fed, in order that not only their
own system may be maintained in good condition, but that of
the foetus may receive a due amount of nutriment. Grass
alone will not suffice, and a certain allowance of oats is
necessary, with hay in addition. Oats are the best grain for
in-foal mares which require this addition to their food, and
they should, if possible, be crushed. Maize is not to be
recommended, as it is stated that when this grain constitutes
a principal part of the ration, the foals always show weakness
of joints and muscles. Even when mares are running out at
grass it may be advisable to allow some hay, and even oats
under certain conditions of weather or states of health. To
have thriving progeny the mares themselves should be strong
and lively during pregnancy and after parturition.
It is also recognised that the period when mares are to foal,
and the management calculated to regulate that event,
demand considerable attention. The best months for foaling
182 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
are, doubtless, March, April, and May, the last especially, as
then the young creatures are almost certain to have genial
weather, and nothing in the shape of food is comparable with
the green herbage of spring and early summer for milk pro-
duction in the dams. Early foaling is only too frequently
synonymous with debility, unthriftiness, and stunted growth
in the foals unless artificial treatment is adopted, and even
hay and oats do not fully compensate for the absence of
grass as an article of food.
It is only too well known to breeders that when foals miss
a good start at the commencement of their life, and sustain a
check to their growth, it generally requires much time and
nursing to repair the damage ; indeed, sometimes the effect
is so serious that their vigour and full development are per-
manently arrested. Foaling late in the year is also objection-
able, as the young animals have then not sufficient time to
gain strength before the advent of winter.
The season of the year and state of the weather will deter-
mine the propriety of turning the dam and foal into the
paddock or pasture after parturition, but the sooner this can
safely be done, the better for both, if only for an hour or two
at first, while the weather is fine ; as the genial rays of the sun
have a most exhilarating influence on the foal. Exposure to
rain must be rigorously avoided, as the woolly texture of the
foal's coat retains the wet for a long time, and is very likely
to give rise to catarrh or some bowel affection. Sometimes
mares, and most frequently those with their first foal, do not
secrete a sufficient quantity of milk to nourish their offspring.
Gentle rubbing of the udder with new milk, and allowing the
foal to go to the teat as often as it will, stimulates the gland ;
while soft succulent food, such as grass, sloppy mashes of
boiled barley or oats to which treacle has been added, assists
in exciting the secretion. When the mare chances to be ill or
dies, or does not give milk, then the foal must be nursed by a
foster mother, or fed artificially with milk obtained from a
mare or she ass. If this cannot be conveniently procured,
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 183
then cow's milk and water, in the proportion of two of the
former to one of the latter, sweetened with a little sugar,
answers in the majority of cases. In those instances in which
this food does not prove suitable, less of it may be given, and
a preparation of husked beans boiled to a pulp and squeezed
through a hair sieve, when it forms a thick fluid like cream,
has been recommended as an excellent substitute.
A dose of castor oil, to the amount of one or two ounces,
may be required by the foal so fed, as constipation is not un-
frequent ; and, indeed, this should always be given when the
young creature does not obtain the first milk of its dam, and
also when it is being suckled by the mare if its bowels are
torpid. It is always judicious to notice the state of its bowels,
as these are constantly liable to derangement while the foal is
being artificially fed or suckled constipation or diarrhoea
being the most common disorders. Constipation sometimes
occurs in a day or two after birth, and unless attended to
promptly may entail serious consequences in a short time.
Regulating the diet of the mare, giving her frequent bran and
linseed mashes and other sloppy food, often gets rid of this
condition in the foal. If it does not, then a dose of castor oil
and an enema, if the constipation is obstinate, will generally
afford relief.
Diarrhoea is more often a source of trouble with foals than
constipation, and is in many cases fatal in a comparatively
short time. Its causes are more or less obscure, but the food
of the mare, and bad sanitary arrangements, are generally
blamed. The diet of the mare should be changed, and
crushed barley given to the extent of one or two quarterns
daily, with a diminished allowance of grass and an equivalent
of good hay with fresh clean water ; while cleanliness in the
surroundings should be observed, or the mare and foal re-
moved to another place. The foal ought to receive a dose of
castor oil with a drachm of carbonate of soda, and ten to
twenty drops of chlorodyne in a little tepid water. Half a
drachm of the carbonate of soda and the chlorodyne may be
184 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
afterwards given twice a day in rice gruel, made by boiling
rice to a jelly. It may be necessary to withhold a portion of
the mare's milk and give this rice gruel instead. The foal's
body should be kept warm and dry, and the hind quarters and
legs clean.
Sometimes mares give too much milk, and if the foal is
allowed unlimited access to it soon after birth, its digestion
may become deranged. As a matter of precaution, a portion
of the milk should be drawn from the udder before the foal
is permitted to suck, but this need not be continued for more
than a few days.
The period of weaning will depend upon circumstances,
such as the quantity and quality of the milk the mare yields,
her constitution and condition, and whether she is again in
foal. The age of the foal itself is also a matter for considera-
tion ; but under ordinary circumstances it is generally agreed
that September is a good month in which to take the foal
from the mare, though in this allowance must be made for
foals which are born early or late. Weaning should be a
gradual process, and should inflict no injury on dam or
progeny. Foals begin to eat oats at a very early age, and
they should be encouraged to do so very soon, especially when
two or three months old. Crushed oats are preferable to
those which are whole, and if these are scalded and mixed
with a little bran and boiled linseed, and a small quantity of
salt, all the better. The quantity of oats that should be given
will, of course, vary with circumstances, but more will be
required after weaning than before. After weaning, if the
foal is robust it will consume about two quarterns of oats
daily, and bran mashes twice or thrice a week are not to be
neglected. Beans have also been highly recommended before
and after weaning. One authority asserts that half a pint of
beans, gradually increased to a quart per day, supplied before
weaning, will be of greater benefit than triple the quantity
allowed at two or three years old.
It is bad policy stinting young foals in their food, and a
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES. 185
liberal allowance of that which is nutritious and suitable for
vigorous growth is always profitable. More especially is this
the case during the first autumn and winter after weaning,
when good feeding is absolutely necessary to enable the young
animal to withstand the weather, and to compensate for the
loss of the mother's milk.
It has been observed that worms sometimes annoy foals
exceedingly when they have attained the age of three or four
months, or even earlier, but more particularly when they are
yearlings. An examination of the faeces will generally reveal
the presence of these parasites, while the appearance of the
young animals, their staring, harsh and unthrifty-looking coat,
longer than it should be, large pendulous belly, loss of flesh,
with frequently a dry, husky cough and constipation alternat-
ing with diarrhoea, betray the effects of the worms. The foals
should have access to rock salt, and small doses of powdered
sulphate of iron given morning and evening in a little mash.
Ten to fifteen grains of calomel given in mash, and repeated
after an interval of ten or twelve hours, is a very effectual
remedy, from four to six ounces of linseed oil being adminis-
tered six hours after the last dose.
Warm and comfortable shelter during cold and wet weather,
and attention to feeding, will ward off many of the maladies to
which young foals are otherwise liable, but there is one
disease which, if all accounts are true, is on the increase, and
is sometimes very destructive to foals soon after birth, but
does not appear to be much influenced by the conditions in
which the animals are placed. It manifests itself by high
fever, intense inflammation of the joints, more especially those
of the knees, stifles and hocks, running on to formation of
abscess and ulceration of cartilage and bones. The pain and
suffering cause rapid emaciation, debility and death. Little
can be done in the way of curative treatment, but much may
be accomplished in the way of prevention. The cause of the
disease is the entrance of specific germs into the wound at the
navel or end of the navel string, before this has completely
l86 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
healed up after birth, and to prevent the admission of these
dangerous organisms the greatest cleanliness is necessary,
not only of the wound itself, but of the stable or shed in which
the mare and foal are kept. If a number of foals are reared
in the same establishment, the appearance of the disease
should be the signal for immediate attention to the others.
This should consist of daily dressing of the navel cord or sore
with some disinfectant, such as carbolic acid and olive oil,
one part of the former to fifteen of the latter, applied with a
bit of sponge ; or after the wound has been cleaned with tepid
water, the part should be well covered either with powdered
boracic acid, or equal parts of iodoform and .starch powder,
and covered with a piece of carbolised lint or fine tow, main-
tained in its place by a wide cotton bandage round the body.
In about a week there will be no more danger. This treat-
ment should be resorted to soon after birth.
Whether young foals are reared in straw yards or at
pasture, or both, the hoofs require attention, and more
especially in straw yards, where they are inclined to grow
long and irregular in shape, which again is apt to react upon
the limbs and cause their deviation from a good direction.
A little judicious management here may save. much trouble
and disappointment afterwards.
When foals run about on very hard ground, not only are
the hoofs sometimes too much worn and the feet consequently
tender, but the concussion may injure the bones and joints of
the limbs, and it is probable that some of the diseases of these
which are supposed to be hereditary may be originated in this
way in early life. " Cecil," many years ago, drew attention
to the damage sometimes done to the hoofs from hard dry
ground, and recommended that a couple of barrowfuls of clay
or soil retentive of moisture should be deposited in a part of
the yard or paddock where the manger or receptacle for food
is placed, so that the foal might stand in it during the time
of feeding ; this soil is to be kept soft with water when mois-
ture is required, and a little common salt may be occasionally
MANAGEMENT OF LIGHT HORSES.
i8 7
sprinkled on it with good effect. In many cases the clay may
be dispensed with, by merely throwing water on the spot
where horses stand to feed that is, unless the soil is very
sandy and dry.
The desirability of accustoming foals at an early age to
have their legs and feet handled must be evident, and in
practising them to this manipulation progress will have been
made in teaching them to allow their hoofs to be trimmed and
regulated by means of the knife, or, better, the rasp.
"GOOD AT TIMBER.'
LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
CHAPTER XL
DISEASES AND INJURIES TO WHICH LIGHT
HORSES ARE LIABLE.
IN the following remarks on the diseases and injuries to
which the lighter breeds of horses are liable in a state of
domestication, it is not intended to give such information as
will enable the horse-owner to play the part of veterinary
surgeon, and treat his animals in every case as if he were a
person thoroughly trained in veterinary medicine and surgery.
Such endeavour would be as futile as it would be inexpe-
dient and dangerous. Printed directions and horse-doctor books
cannot do this ; the utmost service they can yield is to afford
the attendant upon, or the owner of, horses some idea of the
disorders and accidents to which these creatures are exposed,
so that he may be able to form an idea as to what should be
<done before the arrival of the veterinary surgeon, in cases of
emergency, or when the assistance of this useful individual
cannot be readily obtained. The majority of horsemen now-
a-days have received some kind of instruction in horse-
management, either at one of the several agricultural schools
established in the United Kingdom, or by attending the lec-
tures and demonstrations so frequently given in various parts
of the country, through the instrumentality of agricultural
societies or County Councils. In any case, for the treatment
of the more serious diseases and accidents, far more experience
f f'
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 189
and skill are needed than are possessed by the amateur, how-
ever well read he may be in veterinary books ; so that, in
order to avert loss and damage, it is the wisest course to in-
voke professional aid without delay, resorting to such measures
as may be deemed appropriate until its arrival.
In the limited space at our disposal, only a few of the more
frequent diseases and accidents can be referred to, and these
briefly.
Fever.
Symptoms. Fever is a condition of the body in which the
temperature is higher than in health. The ordinary tempera-
ture of the horse's body what is termed the internal tem-
perature is about 1 00 Fahrenheit. It is best ascertained
by the self-registering thermometer, which is inserted into
the rectum and kept there for a minute or so. When this
temperature rises above 101, fever is present ; if it reaches
104, then the fever is somewhat serious, and when it gets to
1 06 it is very severe. In proportion to its height the horse
becomes wasted and debilitated.
The pulse, which is usually 38 or 40 beats a minute, and
is best felt on the inner side of the lower jaw, is correspond-
ingly increased, and the beats may reach 60, 80, or even
100 per minute, though when it is over 80 the fever may be
said to be high. The breathing is also quickened, the number
of respirations which are about 8 per minute in health in-
creasing in a corresponding manner with the pulse. Coinci-
dently with these phenomena the skin is dry and hot, though
exceptionally it may be wet with perspiration ; the mouth is
also dry, hot and pasty when the finger is passed into it, and
it generally has the odour of indigestion. The appetite is
either much diminished or lost, and though the horse may
drink a good deal of water, the urine may be less in quantity
and high coloured. Sometimes the breath feels very warm,
and the eyelids are swollen, with perhaps tears running down
the face; in certain cases the horse is somewhat excited, in
others he is listless, apathetic and depressed.
igO LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Fevers are of several kinds such as continuous, remittent
and intermittent, according to their course ; and simple,
specific, inflammatory, adynamic or hectic, according to their
symptoms and cause.
In many cases, at the very commencement of fever there
are signs of rigor or chill, the coat being then lustreless and
hair erect, and the skin cold wholly or in parts ; while the
horse may even be trembling slightly. The diminished de-
sire for or refusal of food is always a very significant sign of
commencing illness in a horse, and should therefore receive
immediate attention.
Treatment. The causes of fever are numerous, and its
successful treatment largely depends upon the cause being
ascertained. This is discovered by noting the symptoms and
inquiring into the history of the case. This needs tact and
skill, and as some of the fevers are very serious and soon run
on to a fatal termination, it is advisable to obtain veterinary
advice in good time. The amateur, however, can assist in
the treatment by having the horse moved into a well venti-
lated horse-box or stable and made comfortable, but not
oppressed, by means of clothing on the body and bandages to
the legs ; if the latter and the ears are cold which is some-
times the case then they should be hand-rubbed. The horse
ought to be allowed plenty of cold or tepid water to drink, with
sloppy food. Nursing is the chief means by which restoration
to health can be secured. Medicines must be sparingly given
by the unskilled, and at most nothing more should be ad-
ministered than about an ounce of nitrate or carbonate of
potass in a bucket of water once or twice a day. If he will lie
down, the horse should have a good soft bed. He ought not
to be exercised until the appetite has returned, nor put to
work until he feels well, and has regained his usual strength
and spirits.
As nearly all young horses brought up from grass or from
the country to town stables are liable to an attack of town or
stable fever, they should be put into airy stables, and care-
f ' '
DISEASES AND INJURIES. IQI
fully fed and exercised until they have become seasoned
somewhat. And when put to work, this should be light and
only for a short time at first.
Catarrh.
Catarrh, or what is termed a " cold in the head," may
attack old and young horses alike, and at any season of the
year ; though it is most frequent in cold or changeable
weather. One of the great predisposing causes is a hot and
badly-ventilated stable.
Symptoms. There is more or less fever at first, with sneez-
ing, perhaps shivering, cold legs and listlessness, and slight
loss of appetite. Soon there is a discharge of watery fluid
from the nostrils, sometimes also from the eyes ; this quickly
becomes yellow and purulent, and not unfrequently cough
ensues, with sore throat and more or less difficulty in swallow-
ing. Very often, too, these symptoms are accompanied by
more fever, loss of appetite, and swollen glands about the
upper part of the throat.
Treatment. The treatment chiefly lies in nursing, making
the horse comfortable by body clothing and leg bandages,
keeping the stable at a moderate temperature and well venti-
lated, and giving mashes of bran and linseed, with small
quantities of nitrate of potass in the drinking water. The
head may be held over a bucket of boiling water in which
there is some hay and a little oil of turpentine or carbolic
acid, so that the steam may pass up into the nostrils. If the
cough is troublesome, the upper part of the throat may be
well rubbed with soap liniment, or a liniment composed of
equal parts of olive oil, oil of turpentine and spirit of hartshorn.
Should the cough be very severe, a little tincture of opium or
chloroform may be dropped in the bucket of hot water, and
a sack or blanket thrown over it and the horse's head in order
to keep in the vapour.
Should the horse be debilitated after the more severe
symptoms have disappeared, a drachm of powdered sulphate
of iron may be mixed in the mash once a day.
IQ2 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Strangles.
This is an infectious disease to which young horses are
more especially predisposed, and somewhat resembles catarrh.
One attack generally protects horses against a second. There
is great probability that every case of strangles is due to
infection, and from this point of view, and also because of the
trouble and damage it only too often occasions, it should be
treated as a communicable disease, so as to prevent its
spreading.
Symptoms. It generally commences with fever and dul-
ness, and disinclination to eat. The throat generally begins
to feel sore, and there is difficulty in swallowing, while the
glands between the jaws and below the ear are swollen and
painful to the touch. In nearly all cases there is inflammation
of the air-passages of the head, and this is manifested by
a discharge of yellowish matter from the nostrils ; there may
also be cough. The swelling between the jaws increases in
extent and painfulness, and not unfrequently this causes
obstruction to the breathing, which is marked by a noise
both in inspiration and expiration. In some cases this
obstruction is so great that suffocation is imminent, and to
prevent it the windpipe has to be opened lower down the
neck, and a tube inserted through which the horse can
breathe. In the usual course of the disease an abscess forms
in the middle of the swelling, and when this bursts the
animal is generally relieved ; the swelling subsides, fever
rapidly diminishes, swallowing becomes easier and the appe-
tite is increased.
This is the ordinary course of the disease, but sometimes
it runs an irregular course. The fever persists, and the other
symptoms may increase in intensity ; swellings appear in
different parts, and may form abscesses, or disappear and
reappear elsewhere, and the disease may continue for a very
long time ; in the simple form it seldom lasts longer than a
fortnight or three weeks, whereas in this malignant or
irregular form it may run on for one or two months, or even
' v ' v T
DISEASES AND INJURIES. IQ3
longer. In some instances it is a year or two before the
animal completely regains a healthy and robust condition.
This protracted phase of the disease is due to the repeated
occurrence of abscesses in various parts of the body ; these
suppurate, heal up, and are succeeded by others ; they some-
times form in the internal organs, and then usually cause
death.
A not unfrequent sequel of strangles is " roaring," which
greatly depreciates the animal's value, as it interferes with
the breathing.
Prevention. Strangles should be dealt with as a very con-
tagious disease, and careful isolation of those affected, with
disinfection measures, ought to be strictly observed.
Treatment. Good nursing must form the chief part of the
treatment of strangles. Whenever a young horse shows
signs of ailing, it should be placed in a well ventilated and
moderately warm stable or loose box the latter is always
the better ; this should be kept clean and comfortable. If the
weather is cold a blanket may be worn over the body, and
it may even be necessary to place woollen bandages on the
legs if they have a tendency to become cold. The food
should be soft, and consist of bran and linseed mashes, oatmeal
gruel, and a little good meadow hay, with now and again some
scalded oats. If in season, grass and carrots or sliced turnips
are good. The water given to drink should have the chill
taken off if the weather be cold, or the oatmeal gruel may
suffice. A little nitrate of potass say half an ounce may
be put in the drink now and again.
If the fever runs high, a fever draught may be given (this
is also useful in ordinary fever and catarrh). A useful draught
is composed of acetate of ammonia in solution, three or four
fluid ounces ; sweet spirits of nitre, one ounce ; bicarbonate
of potass, half an ounce ; to be mixed in a pint of tepid
water. This draught may be given once a day until the
fever abates. Should the breathing become noisy, or the
horse experience much difficulty in swallowing, then hot
13
ig4 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
water vapour should be inhaled as in the treatment of catarrh,
a little carbolic acid or oil of turpentine being added to the
water. At the same time, the white liniment recommended
for sore throat in catarrh should be applied to the upper part
of the throat and beneath the jaws where the swelling takes
place. Sometimes, when the swelling is very extensive and
dense, it is well to apply a hot linseed meal and bran poultice
to it, or to blister it with cantharides ointment.
The abscess may be opened when it is fully formed, which
is ascertained by its " pointing " and feeling very soft at a
certain part, or left to open spontaneously, which is the better
course unless the amateur is sufficiently skilled in using a
lancet. When it is opened the wound should be kept very
clean by washing with warm water and a sponge, and dressed
with a solution of carbolic acid one to fifty of water.
If the fever has been high or the abscesses large, there is
often a good deal of debility supervening, and this must be
combated by a generous diet, such as scalded oats and boiled
linseed to which some salt has been added. If there is very
much prostration and the digestion is impaired, it may be
necessary to give a pint of milk two or three times a day ;
to this a teaspoonful of carbonate of soda should be added.
Sometimes it has been found advantageous to give one or two
eggs beaten up in milk in the course of the day, or a pint or
quart of stout or porter, morning and evening.
In the irregular form of strangles the same system of
nursing should be carried out, and the abscesses opened
wherever they appear. Sulphite or salicylate of sodium may
be given in half-ounce doses in water twice a day.
A stable or loose box which has been occupied by a horse
affected with strangles should not again be used until it has
been thoroughly cleansed and disinfected.
Influenza.
This is undoubtedly an infectious fever, which appears in
a very extensive manner over forge tracts of country, the
DISEASES AND INJURIES. IQ5
outbreaks always occurring where there is much movement
of horses from one place to another ; in this way it follows
the lines of traffic, and may appear at any season of the
year. Horses of all ages and under all kinds of conditions
may be affected, but it generally visits most severely those
which are badly attended to and kept in unhealthy stables.
Symptoms. The most marked characteristic of influenza is
the intense prostration that accompanies the fever from the
very commencement ; otherwise, in most of the outbreaks
the symptoms are much the same as those of catarrh, and
they may all be developed very quickly. Sometimes the air-
passages and lungs are chiefly implicated ; at other times the
abdominal organs suffer most ; and in some of the outbreaks
symptoms of rheumatism, with swelling of the legs, head and
other parts of the body, predominate. Not unfrequently we
may have all these symptoms manifested in one animal.
The disease has received several names according to the
prevailing symptoms. The catarrhal symptoms may be well
marked, and then we have, in addition to the fever and great
debility, the signs of ordinary catarrh ; these, under favour-
able conditions, gradually subside in eight or ten days, and in
a fortnight or three weeks the animal has usually recovered.
When the lungs and bowels are implicated, however, the
cases are more serious, especially if the sanitary conditions
are bad and the horses are not healthy and vigorous.
Treatment. One of the essential conditions in the success-
ful treatment of influenza is relieving the animal from fatigue
and work whenever the first signs of illness become apparent.
These signs are generally diminished appetite, listlessness,
weakness, dry hot mouth, hanging head, swollen eyes, and
perhaps shivering. To work and fatigue the horse after the
disease has seized him, is to expose him to the risk of a more
severe attack than he otherwise would have, and may lead to
his death.
Therefore cessation of work at once is all-important. Good
nursing comes next in importance, for the amateur and even
igb LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
the veterinary surgeon, for that matter can do little more than
place the patient in the best possible hygienic conditions and
maintain the strength. More horses are injured than benefited
by the administration of drugs in this and many other diseases.
Good ventilation, keeping the horse's body warm and com-
fortable, and giving soft and easily digested food, are the
chief points to be attended to. If the symptoms are mainly
those of catarrh, then the treatment should be the same; if
the chest is affected, the treatment should be the same as
for pleurisy or inflammation of the lungs ; and when the bowels
are implicated the treatment prescribed for inflammation of
them must be adopted. When the legs and other parts of
the body swell, then they should be kept as warm as possible
by means of woollen bandages and rugs. Salicylic acid
should be given in one-drachm doses in a little thick gruel
twice a. day. When the animal is recovering, in order to
counteract the debility, it is advisable to give vegetable and
mineral tonics. The best of these for the horse are powdered
gentian and sulphate of iron an ounce of the first and two
drachms of the second in a ball once or twice a day. Boiled
linseed is advantageous.
The horse should not be put to work until quite recovered,,
and even then this should be rather light for some time.
Glanders and Farcy.
These are not two diseases, but only one disease in two
forms ; we shall therefore treat of these as one disorder under
the name of glanders.
Glanders is a virulent disease special to horses, but trans-
ferable from them to several other species of animals and to
mankind. It may affect every part of the body, but is most
frequently witnessed in the head or on the skin. It may be
chronic or acute, but it is generally the former ; both are
marked by fever, which is most severe in acute glanders. It
is very contagious, and can be produced by giving the poison
f
DISEASES AND INJURIES. IQ7
in the food or water, or in a ball ; and it can gain introduction
to the system by inoculation, through a wound or abrasion,
and in other ways. Contact with glandered horses, being
put into stables which have been inhabited by them, drinking
out of water-troughs they have frequented, or eating from
receptacles they have fed in, are the usual ways in which
healthy horses acquire the disease. It is most frequently
witnessed among large studs of horses, and especially those
which are over-worked, improperly fed, or badly housed.
A variable period elapses between an animal receiving the
poison and the appearance of the first symptoms, but it is
between a week and several months. The poison is con-
tained in the discharge from the nostrils and from the sores,
as well as in the blood and other fluids ; but the disease is
mainly spread by means of the matter from the nostrils and
sores. In the ass and mule glanders nearly always appears
in the acute form and rapidly runs its course.
Symptoms. The symptoms in acute glanders are much
more marked than in the chronic form, but the high fever
constitutes the chief difference. This fever lasts for a few
days generally, then subsides, but only to reappear after a
short interval. There is much depression, and the animal
does not care to move. There is usually a discharge of a
yellowish sticky matter from one or both nostrils, which
adheres around them, and at the same time there is one or
more sores or ulcers inside the nostril on the partition separat-
ing the nostrils. If the discharge is only from one nostril,
then the sores are on that side. When the ulcers are deep,
the discharge may be streaked with blood. The glands
inside the lower jaw are also enlarged, hard and knotty.
Ulcers may or may not appear on the skin at the same time.
Sometimes the ulcers are high up in the nostril and cannot
be seen, and not unfrequently they extend down the wind-
pipe. The lungs are generally implicated, or they may be
alone the seat of disease, but this is more frequently the case
in chronic glanders. In the acute form, if the horse is not
killed it dies from suffocation or exhaustion.
198 LIGHT HORSES '. BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
The chronic form only differs from the acute by the
severity of the symptoms. A horse may live for a consider-
able time when affected with chronic glanders, and even
perform hard work, as the constitutional symptoms are com-
paratively slight. But this form always terminates in acute
glanders if the horse is not destroyed.
Farcy is merely superficial or skin glanders, and it also
may be acute or chronic. There are ulcers on various parts
of the body, and these generally discharge; they are connected
by a prominent line or cord. The legs are most frequency
involved, and then they are generally swollen and painful, an
the horse moves with difficulty. Farcy generally terminates
in glanders.
Treatment. Glanders is practically incurable, and owing
to its dangerous character its cure should not be attempted.
Diseased horses should be at once destroyed, and those with
which they have been in contact, or which have stood in the
same stable with them, ought to be considered suspected and
consequently kept apart from the others. Stalls and places
which have been occupied by diseased and suspected horses,
should be thoroughly cleansed and disinfected.
Bronchitis.
Bronchitis is inflammation lining the windpipe and its
branches in the lungs, and is usually due to colds, though
it is sometimes a complication of other diseases, and it may
even be produced by the entrance into the air-passages of
irritant fluids or gases.
Symptoms. Bronchitis may be acute or chronic, but in
young horses it is most frequently the former. This gener-
ally begins with shivering and dulness ; then fever sets in,
and the breathing is quickened, while there is a hard loud
cough. There may or may not be a discharge from the
nostrils at first, but there is generally after a day or two, and
in a few days it may be quite copious. The cough increases
f I
DISEASES AND INJURIES. IQ9
in frequency and severity, and is very exhausting, while the
appetite is much diminished. Death may ensue from filling
up of the bronchial tubes with matter. But a favourable
result may be anticipated when the fever gradually subsides,
the cough becomes softer and less frequent, and the discharge
from the nostrils less and thinner in consistency.
Chronic bronchitis is generally seen in old horses. There
is little, if any fever, and the nasal discharge is very trifling,
the most marked symptom being the cough, which is often
very harassing.
Treatment. As bronchitis commonly occurs in cold weather,
the horse should, if possible, be put into a comfortable well-
ventilated stable or loose box, and the body clothed, the legs
being enveloped in woollen bandages or straw bands, after
being well hand-rubbed. Hot water vapour, into which a
small quantity of oil of turpentine or carbolic acid should be
put, ought to be inhaled by the animal, as for catarrh ; and
the throat should be rubbed with the white liniment already
mentioned, or with compound camphor liniment. The same
liniment may also be applied to the sides of the chest, or this
may be enveloped in a thick blanket, and hot water (not
scalding) poured on it for an hour or two at a time ; the
blanket must then be removed, the skin thoroughly dried,
the liniment rubbed in, and a dry blanket put on. A draught
composed of one drachm of camphor, two ounces of solution
of acetate of ammonia and an ounce of nitric ether, mixed up
in about ten ounces of water, should be administered twice
or three times a day. The diet should consist of mashes of
linseed and bran, with a few scalded oats ; carrots or green
food should also be allowed, and a little good hay. When
convalescence is setting in, a drachm of powdered sulphate
of iron may be given in the mash twice a day, and the food
may be more nutritious.
Little can be done for chronic bronchitis beyond keeping
the horse in a cool, well ventilated stable, clothing the body
comfortably, giving easily digested food, and allowing steady
slow work.
2OO LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Congestion of the Lungs.
No animal is so liable to congestion of the lungs as the
horse, and it may be an accompaniment or sequel of the other
diseases, or occur by itself. It usually appears in the acute
form in the latter case, and it is this which will now be
noticed.
Acute congestion of the lungs may be induced by sudden
severe exertion when an animal is not in good condition, or
by long continued severe exertion when in good training ; it
may also be caused by exposure to cold, and especially to
cold winds and wet.
Symptoms. The symptoms of acute congestion of the lungs
are of a very marked character. The breathing is extremely
hurried and laboured, the nostrils widely dilated, head
carried low, countenance anxious and haggard, body usually
covered with perspiration, legs stretched out and cold, the
flanks heaving tumultuously, and sometimes the heart can
be heard beating violently. Not unfrequently blood flows
from the nostrils, and if this is foamy it shows that it comes
from the lungs. If not quickly relieved the horse will die
from suffocation.
Treatment. This, to be effective, must be prompt. The
horse should not be moved or disturbed, and if wearing
harness this ought to be taken off. An abundance of fresh
air must be allowed ; the legs and body should be well rubbed
and clothed, and if any turpentine liniment is at hand this
should be applied to the legs before they are bandaged.
Brandy or whisky in six-ounce doses may be given in water
every hour or two hours for the first three doses, and then
every four hours for four or five doses. If there is thirst,
cold water, or, better, oatmeal gruel can be given. If the
symptoms do not soon subside, hot water should be applied
to the sides in the manner already indicated, and care should
be taken to keep the animal from draughts of air.
After recovery, some days' rest should be allowed, and
careful feeding observed.
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 2O1
Inflammation of the Lungs.
Inflammation of the lungs may be a disease of itself, or
follow catarrh, bronchitis, congestion of the lungs, or other
disorder, as well as be due to sudden chill, foul hot air in
stables, &c ; pleurisy is often present.
Symptoms. There is fever, the pulse and respiration are
increased, the animal is dull and dejected and wanders about
in the loose box, but rarely lies down. There is frequently
a short dry cough, and there may also be a slight discharge
from the nostrils of rust- coloured mucus when the disease is
advanced ; the skin of the body and legs is cold, the mouth
is hot and dry, and the membrane lining the eyelids and
nostrils is deep red in colour.
Treatment. This is similar to that for congestion of the
lungs. Fresh air is above all things necessary ; at the same
time the body and legs must be kept warm. From four to
six quarts of blood abstracted from the jugular vein some-
times lead to a favourable change in the case of fat, high-
conditioned horses. At first the following draught may be
given every four hours : Fleming's tincture of aconite, six
minims ; nitric ether, one ounce ; solution of acetate of
ammonia, four ounces. To be given in a quart of thin gruel
or tepid water.
If there is much debility, then instead of this draught six
ounces of brandy or whisky may be administered three or
four times a day in the same manner.
The food should be sloppy mashes of bran or linseed, with
oatmeal gruel, a little good hay, and green forage or carrots;
cold or tepid water may be allowed to drink, and in a bucket-
ful of it an ounce of nitre may be dissolved.
When the horse is recovering, a drachm of powdered
sulphate of iron may be given in the mash twice a day.
202 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Pleurisy.
This is inflammation of the membrane lining the chest and
covering the lungs, and may be a complication of pneumonia
or other diseases, or exist independently.
Symptoms. There is fever succeeding a shivering fit.
There is most acute pain on moving the ribs, which causes
the horse to keep them fixed as much as possible, and to
breathe quickly in a careful manner with the abdominal
muscles. The countenance looks distressed, and there is a
short interrupted cough, while in attempting to turn there is
heard a painful grunt. Pressure between the ribs causes
acute pain. The horse does not lie down. Effusion into
the chest very often sets in early, and then there is less
pain, but the breathing becomes deeper and laboured, owing
to the pressure on the lungs.
Treatment. This does not differ much from that adopted
in inflammation of the lungs. The general management
should be the same, and the hot water applications of the
chest should be even longer continued. Mustard may be
applied to the sides of the chest with advantage. Nitrate of
potass in ounce doses should be given in the water or gruel,
and Fleming's tincture of aconite, in four or six-minim doses,
given in a small quantity of water every three or four hours.
After three or four days, whisky in four-ounce doses may
be given twice or three times a day in gruel. If fluid
accumulates in the chest, then it should be gradually re-
moved by a surgical operation, which the amateur had
better not undertake.
Rheumatism.
Some horses are particularly liable to rheumatism, an
inflammatory condition of certain structures in connection
with joints, tendons, muscles, &c.
Symptoms. Rheumatism may be acute or chronic. The
acute form is accompanied with fever, and usually manifests
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 203
itself suddenly in the joints of the limbs as the stifle, fetlock,
hock, knee, or sheaths of the tendons. There is great lame-
ness and pain on pressure, and often more than one part is
affected; not unfrequently the swelling and pain leave the
joint as suddenly as they came, and attack another part.
The heart is often involved. In bad cases the joints are
much enlarged.
Treatment. Hot fomentations to the inflamed parts, of
water in which poppy heads have been steeped ; with gruel
in which ounce doses of the bicarbonate of potass have been
dissolved. The animal should be kept comfortable, and if
there is constipation a mild dose of physic may be given.
If the fever runs high, salicylate of sodium in two-drachm
doses three times a day should be given in a pint of water or
gruel. When the inflammation in the joints or sheaths of
the tendons becomes chronic, then it may be necessary to
rub them with the white or soap liniment, or with a lini-
ment prepared as follows : Coutt's acetic acid, two ounces ;
whisky, two ounces ; oil of turpentine, two ounces. One
white of egg to be beaten up with these. The skin should
be first well brushed, then the liniment should be firmly
rubbed in.
Laminitis.
Heavy horses are more liable to inflammation of the feet,
perhaps, than light ones ; and the fore feet are much oftener
affected than the hind ones. Many causes will give rise to it,
such as bad shoeing, injuries, severe travelling in hot weather,
indigestion, superpurgation, &c., while it is often a sequel of
pneumonia, influenza, &c.
Symptoms. This is a most painful disease, and is accom-
panied by a considerable amount of fever. The horse per-
spires, breathes quickly, and looks as if suffering intense
agony ; t.ie symptoms might be mistaken for inflammation
of the lungs, but attempting to make the horse move reveals
204 LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
the nature of the disease. He will not stir if he can avoid it,
but remains rooted to the ground, resting his weight as much
as possible on the heels. The feet feel extremely hot, and
striking the hoof intensifies the pain.
Treatment. The shoes should be removed from the in-
flamed feet, if possible, and the walls lowered to a level
with the soles, so as to allow these and the frogs to sustain
a greater portion of the weight. But this is a difficult opera-
tion, as the horse suffers excruciating pain when one fore foot
is lifted. The animal should therefore be put into a sling, or,
better, thrown down, the litter being peat moss or sawdust.
This allows the shoes to be taken off and the feet attended
to. Cold poultices of bran or other material, or cold wet
cloths, should be applied to the feet and kept constantly wet
and cold. Carbonate of soda may be mixed with the poultices
or water. Unless there has been purging, a dose of physic
should be given, and the diet ought to be of a laxative nature.
If the horse is lying and does not attempt to change position,
he should be turned over every day to prevent the occurrence
of sores on salient parts of the body. When the intense pain
and inflammation have subsided, exercise on soft ground
should be enforced for some time.
Colic.
Colic is spasm of the intestines, or may be due to distension
of these with gas (flatulent colic). Many causes may give
rise to colic, such as indigestion, mismanagement in feeding
or watering, chills, worms, &c.
Symptoms. The attack is usually sudden, and the chief
sign is the manifestation of restlessness, owing to the pain
experienced. The horse lies down and rolls about, then gets
up, shakes himself, looks towards his flanks, paws, strikes
at his belly with the hind feet, and if in a loose box wanders
around it. The pain subsides, and the horse then remains
quiet and may commence to eat; but in a short time the
DISEASES AND INJURIES
symptoms reappear, and at each recurrence they may in-
crease in intensity, and attempts may be made to stale, while
the animal may perspire freely and manifest anxiety. In
flatulent colic the symptoms are analogous to those in
spasmodic colic, the chief difference being that in the former
there is distension of the belly, and the breathing is therefore
more interfered with ; the horse also lies down more carefully
and does not roll so much.
Treatment. No time should be lost in treating cases of
colic, and the relief of pain is one of the first objects to be
obtained. Six ounces of whisky should be given in a quart
of tepid water, and if two ounces of laudanum can be added
to this so much the better. The belly should also be well
rubbed with straw wisps. If there is constipation a dose of
physic ought to be given ; and when there is distension of the
abdomen, after the stimulant just mentioned an ounce of oil
of turpentine in a pint of linseed oil ought to be administered.
The alcohol and laudanum may be repeated in three or four
hours if the symptoms do not abate. An enema of soap and
water every two hours is very serviceable in obstinate cases ;
and when the attack is very acute, blankets wrung out of very
hot water and applied to the abdomen often act very bene-
ficially.
Inflammation of the Bowels.
Like colic, which it often succeeds, inflammation of the
bowels arises from many causes.
Symptoms. These are not unlike those of colic, except that
there is no intermission in the pain, which is much more
severe, and the breathing and pulse are quickened through-
out ; the pain is also increased by pressure on the abdomen.
The body is covered by profuse perspiration, and the expres-
sion is haggard and distressed. In this disease no alcohol
should be given, nor yet laudanum, but, instead, powdered
opium in two or three-drachm doses, rubbed up in flour
gruel, every two or three hours ; to this may be added twenty
206 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
drops of tincture of aconite, two drachms of chloroform, or
two ounces of sulphuric ether. Hot water should be applied
to the abdomen by means of rugs, and the white liniment or
mustard plaster may also be applied to this region before the
hot water is resorted to.
When the horse can eat, the diet should consist of linseed
and bran mashes, and no hay or other solid food should be
allowed for some days.
Worms.
Worms are often troublesome to horses, and cause irritation
of the intestines, and unthriftness and debility. There are
several kinds of worms which we need not, for lack of space,
describe, especially as the treatment is nearly the same for
all. This generally consists in the administration of a pur-
gative, followed by an ounce dose of oil of turpentine in flour
gruel or well mixed in a pint of milk ; or one or two one-
drachm doses of tartar emetic in a little mash, followed by
half-a-dozen one-drachm doses of powdered sulphate of iron
one dose morning and evening.
Lamenesses.
The horse is, from the nature of his work, much exposed
to lameness, and this very often becomes permanent, and
more or less reduces his value. Lameness may be due to
many causes, and these may be in operation in any part of
the limb or limbs ; sometimes injury or disease of other parts
of the body will also produce lameness. We will notice some
of the more common forms of lameness, with their causes
and treatment.
Sprains.
Sprains may occur to tendons and ligaments, less frequently
to muscles, and this injury may be more or less severe and
cause a proportionate degree of lameness. Ligaments and
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 2OJ
tendons, as well as muscles, during violent efforts or from
twists, may be over-stretched and their fibres torn, or the
injury to them may be brought about gradually, as in some
tendons and ligaments of the lower part of the limbs. No
matter where sprains occur, more or less prolonged rest, as
complete as possible, is essential to rapid and permanent
recovery. Next to rest comes reparative treatment, and this
will vary somewhat according to the seat and nature of the
sprain. When it is quite recent, attempts must be made to
check the swelling and inflammation that ensue, and with
this object in view the application of water cold or hot or
soothing and evaporating lotions, is resorted to. All are
beneficial according to the assiduity with which they are
applied. The water should always be rather cold, or as hot
as the horse can bear it. When it can be done, the part
should be enveloped in bandages or swabs, so as to retain
and distribute the moisture or lotion. Perhaps the best
lotion is that composed of Goulard's extract (subacetate of
lead) and spirit in equal parts, with eight or ten parts of
water. When the pain and swelling have subsided some-
what, then a mild stimulant may be applied such as acetic
acid liniment already alluded to. Gentle exercise may also
be allowed if there is no lameness, and continued until the
horse is fit for work.
Sprain of the Back Tendons.
This is perhaps the most frequent sprain to which light
horses are liable, and may occur either in the fore or hind
legs. There is swelling, heat, and pain on pressure of the
injured part, and lameness corresponding to the extent of the
injury. A shoe raised two or three inches at the heels should
be put on the foot of the sprained leg, and the general treat-
ment prescribed above resorted to. If the injury is very
severe and considerable thickening remain, it may be advis-
able to apply the biniodide of mercury ointment or cantharides
208 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
ointment to it ; it may even be necessary to " fire " the part
in order to effect efficient recovery. Instead of this, the pro-
jection of cold water from a hose for from ten to twenty
minutes three or four times a day, may be advantageous in
expediting a cure ; indeed, this may be carried out from the
very commencement, the lead lotion being applied in the
intervals. Sprains of these or other tendons or ligaments in
this region may also be treated after the method recommended
by Captain Hayes, which consists in enveloping the part in
cotton wool, and bandaging tightly, in such a manner as to
ensure uniform pressure. This bandaging may be employed
after applying the hot or cold water or lotion, and is most
conveniently carried out as he directs : Take about half-a-
pound of cotton wool, and a cotton bandage (such as can be
got in any chemist's shop) about three inches broad and six
yards long. First of all, wrap loosely round the leg a piece
of soft cotton cloth, or put on an ordinary flannel bandage, as
the contact of wool sometimes causes irritation to the skin.
Place a little cotton wool at each side of the leg at the place
where it is desired to commence, and loosely wrap the bandage
over it, adding at each turn more cotton wool, some of which
should also be placed at the front and back of the leg until there
is a layer about four inches thick round the part. As the band-
age is passed round the leg it may be gradually tightened, until
at last it is made very tight, when it can then be secured by
sewing or by tapes. The bandages should be removed after
twenty-four hours, the part rubbed firmly upwards by the
hand (the leg being held up during this massage, and flexed
and extended), and a fresh bandage of the same kind put on.
The bandage may then be removed morning and evening, and
the part hand-rubbed, and passively worked by bending the
joints without causing the horse to move. The tendon may
be rubbed with stimulating liniment during the massage ; if
the hair is long it may be clipped off. The cotton wool should
be of the ordinary kind, soft and elastic, and it is better to
have it fresh at each application. The diet should be rather
laxative, and green forage be given if it can be procured.
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 2OQ
The high-heeled shoe should not be kept on the foot for
more than a fortnight, when its heels may be gradually
lowered. If considerable improvement has not taken place in
three weeks of this treatment, a charge may be applied to the
tendon. This is variously composed, but the usual ingredients
are Burgundy pitch and bees-wax, four parts of each ; when
these are melted in an iron ladle, two parts of mercurial oint-
ment are stirred in. When moderately warm this is plastered
in a thick layer over the leg by means of a spatula or hard
brush, pieces of cotton wool being stuck on the skin and the
hollows on each side of the tendon as the smearing goes on.
Over these the mixture is to be daubed, and when, finally,
sufficient has been applied to make the leg a rounded mass, a
long cotton bandage is tightly bound over it, the mixture being
laid upon this at every turn, and cotton wool placed between
each layer, so as to effect equable and firm pressure. If at
any time the layers should become loose, they may be plastered
with the warmed mixture. From three to five weeks is suffi-
ciently long to keep on this bandage.
Splints.
Splints are bony tumours which form either inside or out-
side the leg, usually the former, and generally in the neigh-
bourhood of the small splint bones. They most frequently
form in young horses, and are readily seen when the limb is
looked at in front. It is usually when they are forming that
they cause lameness, but when they are so situated as to
interfere with movement, the lameness may be permanent.
There is heat and pain on manipulation.
The best treatment for the amateur to adopt consists in the
application of Goulard's lotion, already described ; this being
poured on to a woollen or cotton bandage, enveloping the leg
where the splint is forming. After a few days of this treatment
a little piece of the biniodide of mercury may be rubbed into
the skin over the tumour. Exercise should be allowed on soft
ground.
14
2IO LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Ring Bone.
This is a deposit of bony matter on the surface, front or
sides, of the pastern bones, and is generally very serious,
owing to the deposit interfering with the tendons and liga-
ments covering it. It is most frequently observed in the
front pasterns.
The treatment should be the same as for splints, but it
must be long continued, and the horse should be rested as
much as possible, the stall or loose box being laid with peat-
moss litter. In chronic cases firing may be necessary.
Side Bone.
This is comparatively rare in light horses, and in them it
is limited to the coarser breeds. The name is given to the
lateral elastic cartilage on each side of the foot, towards the
heels, when it becomes hard and rigid from deposition of bony
matter in its substance. This may occur from injury, such as
a tread, but more frequently it is due to inflammation set up
in the cartilage from some internal cause. Bad shoeing may
give rise to it, as when one side of the hoof is left higher than
the other, and so causes twisting of the limb. Sometimes
there is lameness, and there is nearly always impaired action.
Treatment. Little can be done in the way of treatment.
Repeated blistering with the biniodide of mercury ointment,
exercising on soft ground, keeping the hoof level, and allowing
the frog to come in contact with the ground, or shoeing with
a bar shoe, are the measures likely to render the horse so
affected serviceable.
Naviculav Disease.
Navicular disease is almost entirely confined to light horses,
and is the most serious, and also one of the most frequent
causes of all lamenesses. There may be a hereditary ten-
dency to it in the way of predisposition or conformation, but
it is rarely seen in young horses, and most frequently attacks
those which undergo fast work. This, and the circumstance
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 211
that shoeing generally removes the frog from contact with
the ground, thus placing a heavier strain upon the flexor
tendon of the foot as it passes over the navicular bone, is the
chief cause in its production. It is rarely observed in the
hind feet, because these have less weight to carry than the
fore ones.
Symptoms. The symptoms of this disease are generally
well marked when it has advanced to a certain stage. In
the stable the horse rests the affected foot by placing it for-
ward and raising the heel slightly ; if both feet are involved,
then they are alternately rested ; the foot is hot, and the litter
in front is usually pawed behind. On coming out of the
stable the horse steps short, and trotting on hard ground
causes greater lameness than moving on soft soil. The horse
is liable to trip and stumble, from the tendency to go on his
toes, in order to relieve the back part of the foot. This
tendency also causes the shoes to be worn more at the toe?
than elsewhere. If the disease is of some duration, the foot
contracts, owing to the decrease in size of the frog, which leads
to narrowing of the heels. Very often the frog is affected with
thrush. The muscles of the limb, and especially those of the
shoulder, become wasted, and the animal suffers much from
the continual pain he experiences, and from which he can
obtain no relief. This pain is increased if he be kept in a
stall, and particularly if it has a sloping floor. When the
disease is advanced it is almost impossible to mistake its
existence.
Treatment. The disease is, no doubt, largely preventable.
In shoeing, the hoof should not be mutilated, but left strong
and sound, and the frog ought to be intact and so prominent
as to rest on the ground when the horse is standing. Horses
should be kept in stalls which are level in front, or, better, in
roomy loose boxes, and in the day time they ought to stand
on moss litter. At the commencement of the disease the
same procedure is to be observed, and exercise ought to be
allowed on soft ground. Turning the horse out in a water
212 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
meadow is most advisable. The toe of the hoofs should be
kept short, and if shoes must be worn, and the wall is strong
enough, the short imbedded or preplantar shoe ought to be
preferred. If the horse is kept in the stable, cold water
swabs must be applied to the feet, or the horse may stand in
a foot bath of cold water for some hours every day. In some
cases a cantharides blister applied to the coronets appears to
be beneficial. In chronic cases, dividing the nerves of sensa-
tion that supply the foot (neurotomy) is the only palliative
measure, and when the cases are judiciously selected, and
the feet are carefully managed afterwards, such " unnerved "
horses frequently perform good service.
Thoroughpin.
This is the name given to distension of the sheath of the
tendon of the hind foot at the upper and back part of the
hock. The tendon may be sprained or its sheath injured at
this part, just in front of the point of the hock, and the
swelling may be pushed from one side to the other hence
the name. The injury may occur in slipping or jumping, but
the horses most liable to it are those with short hocks. There
may or may not be lameness, but in either case the swelling
is unsightly.
Treatment. If the sprain is recent, then rest must be
allowed, and a high-heeled shoe applied to the foot of the
affected leg. Fomentations with warm water may be re-
sorted to for some days, after which compound tincture of
iodine should be painted over the swelling every day until the
skin becomes slightly blistered ; or the biniodide of mercury
ointment may be applied two or three times at intervals of a
week or ten days. When the swelling is chronic, then the
pring truss, made for the purpose of applying pressure to
his part of the hock, and sold by veterinary instrument
makers, should be tried.
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 213
Bog Spavin.
This is not very common in light horses. It is a soft
swelling on the front and inner part of the hock, above the
seat of bone spavin, and is due to distension of the proper
capsule of the hock joint. When the distension is great,
there is also a swelling in the seat of thoroughpin, from the
joint capsule being pushed upward and backward.
Bog spavin may appear without any assignable cause, but
there has generally been a sprain, or series of sprains of the
hock. Hunters in jumping, and stallions in covering are
liable to this injury, especially if the hock is short.
Treatment. This should be similar to that recommended for
thoroughpin, the employment of the spring truss being even
more beneficial for this condition than for the one just men-
tioned.
Wind Galls.
Wind galls are merely distensions of the sheaths of tendons
below the knees and hocks, due either to rheumatism, sprain,
or hard work most frequently the last mentioned. They
may, or may not be accompanied by lameness ; if they are,
then the soft puffy swellings are hot, and painful on pres-
sure. They are most frequently seen about and immediately
above the fetlocks of both fore and hind limbs.
Treatment. If there is lameness, then the treatment should
be as for sprain of the tendons ; but if there is no lameness,
but merely swelling, then equable pressure by means of ban-
dages firmly and evenly applied, is the simplest and readiest
treatment. Or if the horse can be rested for two or three
months, a " charge " placed on the legs will have a good effect.
Cracked Heels.
Cracked heels are usually the result of leaving the skin in
the hollow of the pasterns wet, especially in cold weather ;
214 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
this is more likely to occur if the heels have been trimmed.
The hind heels are most exposed to cracks or ulcerations. The
lameness is more or less considerable, and especially when
the horse first begins to move, when the pain may be so great
as to cause him to travel for some distance on his toes. The
injury is aggravated by sand and grit getting into the sores.
To prevent cracked heels, these should not be trimmed
during cold wet weather, and when the horse returns to the
stable they should be always carefully cleaned and dried.
Treatment. When the skin is merely tender and inflamed,
oxide of zinc ointment will be found soothing ; or olive oil, four
parts, and Goulard's extract one part, well mixed. If the heels
are very painful they should be fomented with warm water
and afterwards have a linseed meal and bran poultice applied
to them for a day or two ; after which the cracks may be
dressed with carbolised oil, or with boric acid powder. When
they are healed it is well to smear over the skin with a simple
ointment composed of equal parts of beeswax and lard, to
protect it from the weather for some time.
Mud Fever.
This is something akin to cracked heels, and generally
arises from the same or similar causes. It is most frequently
seen in hunters, and the skin over the body and limbs, the
latter more particularly, is hot, painful, and rough ; the
animal moves with soreness, and the skin is tender to the
touch, while the irritation may be so great as to excite some
degree of fever, and even loss of appetite. The prevention of
this disease is refraining from clipping the legs, and not
washing them when the horse comes into his stable, but merely
wisping off the superficial mud. When the legs are dry, then
the dirt and dust may be brushed out. If the legs must be
washed, this should be done with cold water and in a shed;
then they should be thoroughly dried, hand-rubbed, and
trapped in woollen bandages.
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 215
Treatment. If the limbs are very painful, it may be necessary
to sponge them over with a solution of Goulard's extract of
lead one ounce to the pint of water ; or oxide of zinc ointment
may be applied to the inflamed surface. A soothing liniment is
composed of acetate of lead one ounce, olive oil one pint, water
one pint ; to be well rubbed up, and applied by means of a piece
of sponge. This liniment should be employed for some time
after the skin has recovered, if the weather is cold and wet.
Surfeit.
This consists of an eruption on different parts of the body
of small, hard lumps, generally accompanied with itching and
symptoms of indigestion the latter being probably the cause
of the skin disturbance. It usually disappears in the course
of two or three days, though sometimes it persists for two or
three weeks.
Treatment. A dose of laxative medicine, such as an ounce
of powdered sulphur in a mash, which may be of bran or
linseed, or a pint of linseed oil, with an ounce of nitrate of
potass or carbonate of potass in the water given to drink once
a day, will usually effect a cure. Care should be taken with
the diet for some time.
thrush.
Thrush is a diseased condition of the frog, generally due to
its being cut away by the shoeing smith and thrown out of its
function. It is marked by a foul-smelling discharge from the
cleft of the frog, which becomes ragged and wastes, and may
in time become tender and cause lameness.
Treatment. It may be necessary to poultice the foot after all
the loose portions of horn have been removed from the frog.
The cleft should be thoroughly cleaned out by tow, then a
little calomel ought to be pressed deeply into it, and maintained
there by a pledget of tow. Subsequently, pledgets of tow
smeared with Stockholm tar should be introduced into the
216 LIGHT HORSES: BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
cleft. If possible the frog should be allowed to come into
contact with the ground, and the shoer ought to be prohibited
from paring it.
Bone Spavin.
This is a bony enlargement at the inside and lower part of
the hock. In some cases there is little if any enlargement,
but two or more of the bones of the hock may be fixed together,
or there may be ulceration between them. There is more or
less stiffness or lameness in the joint, according to the extent
and seat of the disease. The horse rests the leg very much,
and goes somewhat on the toe of the foot. When he first
begins to move the lameness is more marked than it is after
he has travelled for some time. X ne lameness is sometimes
very perceptible when the horse is moved in the stall. Spavin
is most frequently seen in defectively shaped hocks, though it
may occur from severe strain on well-shaped hocks, or working
horses very hard when too young.
Treatment. To be beneficial, treatment must be undertaken
early. Absolute rest is indicated, and if the horse could be
rendered immovable in the affected joint there would be a
good chance of stopping the progress of spavin. But this is
not possible, and all that can be done is to keep the horse quiet,
a stall being preferable to a loose-box, and the animal can be
tied up for some time. To ease the front of the joint, a high-
heeled shoe may be placed on the foot, and either warm or
cold fomentations applied to the hock for some days. Then
biniodide of mercury ointment should be rubbed into the skin
over the spavin, at intervals of a week or so. This treatment
ought to be continued for six weeks or two months, when the
result should be tested. If the lameness has not disappeared,
then a seton should be passed over the seat of spavin, or firing
may be resorted to, points being employed instead of lines.
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 217
Curb.
Curb is a sprain to the back part of the hock, at the upper
part of the shank bone, and is manifested by a convexity or
bulging, which is best seen when the hock is looked at side-
ways. It is often caused quite suddenly in jumping or
slipping, and then there will probably be considerable lame-
ness at first. Thin, short hocks, narrow at the bottom and
somewhat angular, are most predisposed to curb.
Treatment. When the sprain first occurs and there is lame-
ness, the horse must be rested, a high-heeled shoe applied to
the foot, and the hock fomented for a few days. Then a little
biniodide of mercury ointment should be rubbed into the
swelling, and repeated after an interval of a week. In about
a fortnight the high-heeled shoe may be replaced by the
ordinary one, and the horse allowed exercise every day.
Capped Hocks.
Capped hocks are the result of contusions, and rarely cause
any amount of lameness, though they are unsightly.
Treatment. If the injury is recent, and there is soreness and
lameness, the contused hock should be fomented with warm
water for two or three days, then treated with lead lotion.
When the swelling becomes chronic, it may receive one or
two applications of biniodide of mercury ointment ; or a thick
layer of soft pipeclay may be spread over it every day.
Injuries to the Foot.
The foot is more exposed to injury than any other part of
the body. The most frequent injuries are treads, contu-
sions, wounds from sharp objects while travelling on the
road, pricks and bruises in shoeing, splitting of the hoof
(sandcrack), bruise of the sole, corn, &c.
When the injury occurs to a part enclosed in the hoof,
it is generally necessary to relieve the sensitive parts from
2l8 LIGHT HORSES I BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
pressure by removing the horn from over and around it, and
preventing the shoe from touching it. When the inflamma-
tion runs high and there is much pain, fomentations and
poultices are necessary, but they must not be continued for
long ; as a rule they should be succeeded by dry dressings.
For injuries in which the hoof is involved, after the inflamma-
tion has been subdued, Stockholm tar is an excellent dress-
ing, while it is a good protective.
Wounds.
Wounds are of different kinds, according to their mode of
production such as incised, punctured, contused, &c. The
incised is that which is generally most easily repaired. When
there is bleeding it should be checked as soon as possible by
the application of cold or hot water, bandaging up the
wound, applying pressure, or tying the bleeding vessel or
vessels. Some chemical agents, such as perchloride of iron,
are sometimes employed to check haemorrhage.
If the wound is not large and the part can be bandaged,
then after it is freed from dirt or other foreign matters, its
edges should be brought together and the bandage applied,
a piece of lint or fine tow being previously placed upon the
wound. If it can be done, it is often advantageous to bring
the sides of the wound together by means of one or more
stitches of silk thread, or by brass pins passed through the
skin on each side and a piece of tow or twine wound in figure
of 8 fashion around the heads and points.
Bleeding from a punctured wound can generally be stopped
by plugging it firmly with tow, lint, or any similar substance.
The air should be excluded as early and as completely as
possible from all wounds ; so that after dirt or any other ex-
traneous matter which may have gained access to them is
removed, they should be carefully protected by tincture of
myrrh, powdered boric acid, iodoform, or other antiseptic
agent.
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 2ig
When the wounds are large and contused, it is generally not
advisable, or possible even, to close them by sutures or close
bandaging ; as the dead portions have to be removed by the
natural process of sloughing or suppuration. This process
can often be expedited by fomentations with warm water.
Broken knees are a somewhat common accident, and the
injury may vary from a slight skin graze to the most serious
damage to all the soft tissues, and even the bones in front of
the knee.
When such an accident happens, if the skin and other
tissues are cut, the wound should be well cleaned by gentle
washing with a sponge and warm or cold water ; a piece of
lint ought then to be placed over the part, and maintained
there by means of a bandage. If the wound is not deep or
very contused, I have seen some very good results obtained
by dressing it, after it was well cleansed, with some tincture
of myrrh and then applying a piece of lint on which Canada
balsam was spread, over the injury, leaving it there until the
place was healed. If the lint chanced to become detached,
a fresh quantity of the balsam was spread over it and it was
again stuck on.
When the wound is deep and contused and the joint pro-
bably opened, then after it has been freed from all foreign
matter, the leg should be made immovable by means of a
starched bandage or a long splint, or both combined, and ex-
tending from the hoof to above the knee ; the portion of the
bandage covering the wound being cut away, in order to per-
mit the injury to be dressed. This dressing will depend upon
circumstances, but I have found boric acid, or iodoform and
starch powder in equal parts, and dusted over the surface, an
excellent application. The horse should not be allowed to lie
down during the treatment, and it is generally advisable to
have him slung, so that he may rest his legs and not fall down
until the wouud is healed.
220 LIGHT HORSES! BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
Mange.
This is a rare disease in well-managed stables. It is very
\) contagious, however, so that all horses are liable to become
infected. It is caused by a microscopic insect, of which there
are three kinds : one that infests the body more particularly,
another that inhabits the neck and root of the mane and tail,
and a third that confines itself usually to the legs. That
which is far more frequently observed on light horses, is
the one infesting the body. All cause intense itching, which
impels the animals to bite and rub themselves almost con-
tinuously. The insect that burrows into the skin of the
body, also produces shedding of the hair, and gives rise to
the formation of crusts and raw places on the skin.
Mange is very contagious, and the parasites pass directly
from affected to healthy horses, as well as through the medium
of harness, clothing, litter, &c.
Treatment. Cleanliness is a great obstacle to the extension
of mange. Affected horses should be well washed with warm
water and soft soap, applied by means of a scrubbing-brush ;
then when dry, the skin must be dressed with some agent that
will kill the parasites. Before this is done, however, it is often
found advantageous to soak the skin for some hours with a
solution of carbonate of potass and oil. Afterwards an oint-
ment composed of one part of tar oil and six parts of palm oil,
will generally suffice to cure the disease ; the ointment may be
washed off in two or three days. In some obstinate cases the
treatment may require to be repeated.
In addition to treating the animals, it is essential that
clothing, harness, stable fittings, grooming tools, and every-
thing else with which mangey horses may have been in con-
tact, should be cleaned and dressed with a solution of carbolic
acid, one part to five or ten of water.
DISEASES AND INJURIES. 221
Ringworm.
Ringworm is due to the presence of a microscopic vegetable
parasite, which grows on the skin in such a manner as to pro-
duce more or less circular bare patches covered by a thin
crust. It does not cause so much itching as the mange insect,
though there is some ; but it renders the skin unsightly, and
may lead to considerable disfigurement if it is allowed to ex-
tend over the body. It most frequently affects young horses,
and is very contagious.
Treatment. This may be the same as that prescribed for
mange, but it may be limited to the affected parts, and a little
distance beyond them. An ointment composed of Stockholm
tar one part, and lard three parts, answers very well.
Shoeing.
The management of horses' feet with the object of keeping
them strong and healthy, is most important, and demands the
constant attention of every horseman. The following rules
should therefore be strictly observed, if horses are to be kept
free from lameness and remain serviceable to a good old age,
so far as shoeing is concerned :
(1) Horses should be newly shod, or the old shoes removed
and replaced, at least once a month.
(2) When being shod, the hoofs should be reduced to a
proper length and evenly levelled, so that the toe will not be
too long, nor one side higher than the other.
(3) The frog and sole should not be pared, interference with
them being limited to removal of any loose portions.
(4) The shoe should not be heavier than is necessary to
withstand wear for a certain period say a month.
(5) The shoe should be made to fit the hoof that is, be the
full size of the circumference of the latter.
(6) The shoe should be attached to the hoof with as small
and as few nails as may be necessary to keep it securely on the
hoof.
222
LIGHT HORSES : BREEDS AND MANAGEMENT.
(7) The nails should not be driven higher in the hoof
than is needed to obtain a sound and firm hold.
(8) When the shoe is nailed on and the clenches laid down,
the front of the wall should not be rasped, but left with its
natural polish, and in all its strength.
(9) If possible, the frog should be allowed to come in
contact with the ground.
INDEX.
Action of Cleveland Bays, 69
Action of Hackneys, 33, 38
American Trotting Horse, 94
American Trotting Register, 103
Antiquity of the Hackney, 27
Appetites of Ponies, 140
Arab Cross with Trotters, 84
Arabian Horse, 81
Arabs as Hunters and War Horses,
8?
Asses, 153
Back Action of Hackneys, 40
Bellfourider (Jary's), 97
Bog Spavin, 213
Bone of Cleveland Bays, 69
Bone Spavin, 216
Breaking Hunters, 123
Breeding Hunters, 109
Breeding Hunters from Cleveland
Bays, 74
Breeding from Roarers, 22
Breeding Trotters, 98
Breeds of Light Horses :
Asses, 153
Ponies, 136
The American Trotting Horse,
94
The Arabian Horse, 81
The Cleveland Bay, 51
The Hack, 127
Breeds of Light Horses contd.
The Hackney, 23
The Harness Horse, 132
The Hunter, 105
The Thoroughbred, I
The Yorkshire Coach Horse, 76
British Horse, 2
Bronchitis, 198
Byerly Turk, 9
Cadet (Hackney), 49
Candidate (Hackney), 48
Capped Hocks, 217
Care of Young Foals, 180
Catarrh, 191
Chapman Horse, 51
Cleveland Bays, 51
Cleveland Bays as Agricultural
Horses, 62
Cleveland Bays as General Utility
Horses, 71
Cleveland Bay Horse Society, 68
Clothing Horses, 172
Colic, 204
Colour of Cleveland Bays, 54, 70
Condition of Hackneys, 43
Conformation ot American Trotter,
101
Congestion of Lungs, 200
County Member (Hackney), 49
Cracked Heels, 213
224
INDEX.
Crossing with Cleveland Bays, 73
Curb, 217
Danegelt (Hackney), 49
Darley Arabian, 10
Decadence of Cleveland Bays about
1823, 63
Demand for Cleveland Bays in
U.S.A., 66
Denmark (Hackney), 47
Diseases of Horses, 188
Draining of Stables, 162
East Anglia and Hackneys, 29
Eastern Blood in Hackneys, 26
Eastern Blood in Thoroughbreds,
3,4
Eclipse, II
Effect of Railways on Hackney
Breeding, 34
Euren, H. F., on Hackney, 26, 31
Exercise, 173
Exmoor Ponies, 150
Families of Trotters, 97
Farcy, 196
Feeding Horses, 167, 173
Fever, 189
Fireaway (Triffit's), 26, 48
First Recorded Importations, 3
Flying Childers, 16
Foals, Care of, 180
Formation of Hunter Strains, 120
Ganymede (Hackney), 41
Gervase Markham, 5
Gilbey, Sir Walter, Bart., on Hun-
ter Sires, 116
Glanders and Farcy, 196
Godolphin Arabian, 10
Grooming Horses, 171
Hackney Action, 38
Hackney Horse, 23
Hackney Horse Society, 23
Hackneys as Coach Horses, 42
Hackneys as Hunter Sires, 49
Hacks, 127
Hambletonian (American Trotter),
96
Handling Young Hunters, 122
Harness Horses, 132
Head of Hackney, 35
Height of Arabs, 83
Height of Hackneys, 31
Helmsley Turk, 6
Herod (Thoroughbred), 14
Hobbies, 7
Horses at Time of Roman Occupa-
tion, 2
Horses Imported from Turkey,
Spain, and Naples, 3
Hunter Brood Mares, HO
Hunter Sires, 116
Hunters, 105
Importations, Early, 3
In-breeding of Ponies, 141
Inflammation of the Bowels, 205
Inflammation of the Lungs, 201
Influenza, 164
Initiating Young Horses into Har-
ness Work, 126
Injuries to the Foot, 217
Injuries of Horses, iSS
Irish Ponies, 151
Jumping, Teaching, 124
King Charles II. and Horse Breed-
ing, 8, 12
Knee Action of Hackneys, 39
Lamenesses, 206
INDEX.
225
Laminitis, 203
Lawrence, John, on Hackneys, 27
London Hackney Shows, 24
Mambrino, 96
Management of Hackneys, 44
Management of Half-bred Stock,
122
Management of Light Horses, 159
Management of Trotters, 103
Mange, 220
Markham Arabian, 4
Masterman, T., and Cleveland
Bays, 64
Messenger, 95
Modern Hackneys, 34
Mud Fever, 214
Mules, 156
Nancy Hanks (American Trotter),
98
Navicular Disease, 210
New Forest Ponies, 151
Original Shales, 26
Origin of Cleveland Bays, 52
Origin of Hackney, 23
Origin of Thoroughbred, I
Osborne, Joseph, on Thorough-
breds, 10
Pacing Gait, 101
Park Hacks, 128
Paving of Stables, 162
Phenomena, 33
Pleurisy, 202
Points of American Trotters, 101
Points of Cleveland Bays, 69
Points of Hackney Brood Mare, 46
Points of Hackneys, 34
Points of Yorkshire Coach Horse, 79
Polo Ponies, 145
15
Ponies, 136
Pony Stud Books, 148
Queen's Premiums, 21
Reality (Hackney), 48
Redesdale, Lord, on Racehorses, 17
Revival of Cleveland Bay Breeding,
65
Rheumatism, 202
Ringworm, 221
Rous, Admiral, on Racehorses, 17,
18
Royal Mares, 9
Rufus (Hackney), 48
Saleable Horses, 114
Selection of Hackney Mares, 46
Shales, The Original, 26
Shetland Ponies, 151
Short Distance Races, 18
Shoeing, 221
Shoulders of Cleveland Bays, 73
Show Hunters, 115
Side Bone, 210
Size of Old Fashioned Hackney, 30
Soundness, 20
Speed of American Trotters, 98
Speed of Early Horses, 16
Splints, 209
Sprain of the Back Tendon, 207
Sprains, 206
Stable Fittings, 165
Stable Management, 167
Stables, 159
Standard Trotters, 104
Staying Powers of Thoroughbreds,
18
Strangles, 192
Suggested Re-Introduction of Arafc
Blood, 19
226
INDEX.
Sunol (American Trotter), 102
Surfeit, 215
Temper of Hackneys, 42
Thoroughbred Blood in Trotters,
100
Thoroughbred Crosses on Cleveland
Bays, 59
Thoroughbred Horse, I
Thoroughbreds as Hunters, 105
Thorough Pin, 212
Thrush, 215
Trapper, The, 139
Trotting of Hackneys, 33
Use of Ponies, 137
Ventilation of Stables, 160
Walking Action of Hackney, 41
Watering Horses, 170, 179 . /*
Weight Carrying Hunters, 112
Welsh Ponies, 152
What is a Pony ? 143
William the Conqueror's Charger, 3
Wind Galls, 213
Working Cleveland Bays, 72
Worms, 206
Wounds, 218
Yorkshire Coach Horses, 76
Young Half-bred Stock, 122
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1. THE POST AND THE PADDOCK.
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MAR 2 1969 i)
#
LD 21A-40m-2,'69
( J6057slO) 476 A-32
General Library
University of California
Berkeley