The horse; with a treatise of draught / [William Youatt].

  • William Youatt
Date:
1849
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The horse; with a treatise of draught / [William Youatt]. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    animals might not sometimes be made into your country with advantage. I am sure that our hacks and roadsters will endure a great deal more fatigue and hardship than the same description of horse in England. I speak with confidence in these matters, because 1 have been a breeder in both countries.” That the greater hardship and labour to which the American horse of this description is exposed would produce a greater development of animal power, there can be no doubt, and a cross from the best of such a breed could not, fail of being advantageous; but we must adopt and perpetuate the circumstances that produced this superior power, or we should not long retain the advantage of the cross. In the extensive territory and varied climate of the United States several breeds of horses are found. The Conestoga horse is found in Pennsylvania and the middle States ; long in the leg and light in the carcass; sometimes rising seventeen hands; used principally for the carriage; but, when not too high, and with sufficient sub¬ stance, useful for hunting and the saddle. The English horse, with a good deal of blood, prevails in Virginia and Kentucky, and is found to a greater or less degree in all the States. The Americans have at different times imported some of the best English blood. It has been most diligently and purely preserved in the southern States. The celebrated Shark, the best horse of his day, and equalled by few at any time, was the sire of the best Virginian horses; and Tally-ho, a son of Highflyer, peopled the Jerseys. THE MODERN EUROPEAN HORSES. The limits of our work compel us to be exceedingly brief in our account of the breeds of the different countries of Europe. We 6tart from the South-west of this quarter of the world. THE SPANISH HORSE. The Spanish horses, for many a century, ranked next to those of Barbary and Arabia. They descended from the Barbs, or rather they were the Barbs trans¬ planted to a European soil, and somewhat altered, but not materially injured, by the change. Solleysel, the parfait mareschal, gives an eloquent description of them :—“ I have seen many Spanish horses; they are extremely beautiful, and the most proper of all to be drawn by a curious pencil, or to be mounted by a king, when he intends to show himself in his majestic glory to the people.” The common breed of Spanish horses have nothing extraordinary about them. The legs and feet are good, but the head is rather large, the forehand heavy, and yet the posterior part of the chest deficient, the crupper also having too much the appearance of a mule. The horses of Estremadura and Granada, and particularly of Andalusia, are most valued. Berenger, whose judgment can be fully depended on, thus enumerates their excellences and their defects:— “ The neck is long and arched, perhaps somewhat thick, but clothed with a full and flowing mane; the head may be a little too coarse ; the ears long, but well placed; the eyes large, bold, and full of fire. Their carriage lofty, proud, and noble. The breast large; the shoulders sometimes thick; the belly fre¬ quently too full, and swelling; and the loin a little too low; but the ribs round, and the croup round and full, and the legs well formed and clear of hair, and the sinews at a distance from the bone—active aud ready in their paces—of quick apprehension; a memory singularly faithful; obedient to the utmost proof; docile and affectionate to man, yet full of spirit and courage The Parfait Mareschal shall take up the story again :—“ There will not be found any kind of * Bcmjgcr’s Horsemans!ip, p. 101.
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