CLYDESDALE HORSES.

Globe, Volume XXIV, Issue 2591, 27 July 1882, Page 4

CLYDESDALE HORSES.

*Hmj antiquity of but few breeds of our domeatio animals can be the subjeot of ■pooial boasting on the part of their breeders. .Among horses the only really ancient breed is 'the Arabian, and while a number of more or less natural breeds exist, of which it is difficult to say that they owe more to man than to nature, nearly all the highly valned broods of horses of the prssent day are the xeirult of patient and careful breeding with o definite 'object in view. The Arabian has i>esn thus carefully bred from remote antiquity. Pedigrees have been kept, performances passed into legend and history,, and the Mood of certain families treasured beyond price. Noticeably these families are traced uniformly in the dam's line, not in the sire's line, as we too often do in stating the pedigrees of our carefully bred horses. The .English thoroughbred racehorse originated in the first half of the 18th century, to 1760, by crossing and mingling Arabian, Turkish and Barb blood, with more or less native English, and keeping pedigrees with the greatest care. Our own American thoroughbreds are only a branoh of this breed, kept perfectly free from other blood. So it- is also with the so-called " English " horses of Europe. In every country where they are valued, pedigrees are recorded and the blood is kept pure, or the horses lose caste atones. The OrlofE trotters of Russia originated late in the lSbh century, and represent tine selected progeny of a single sire; pedigrees being kept, and performances recorded. Thorough breeding really consists in keepirj,g and studying pedigrees and performances, and pairing animals with reference to qualities conspicuous in their anoestry which the bireeder desires to perpetuate ; and we may

expect with oonfidocca to be able thus to improve the family and through it the breed ia whatever direction wo ohooas to expand thought, money,- and energy. In this way we in producing a breed of trotting horses in this country, which within fifty years will probably be aa well entitled to the term thorough-bred aa any other horaea. Among draught horaea this principle has jjcufc as legitimate application as among horaea wed for running and trotting. The French originated a moat excellent and naeful breed «!: draught horsea —the Percheron—whioh waa Oialy saved from extinction by the opportune writings of M. Charles du Hjja (not du Hoys), and others. These horees were and sure bred without pedigrees, and have none, accept sueh as depend upon the memory of the breeders. It ii to be hoped that they will bweaiter bo bred pure, and that pedigrees will not only be kept but reoorded in connection with such teats and performances as will prove the superiority of individuals and form * basis for breeding. American draught horse breeders have aeleoted as it were by eimmon consent two breeds—the Percheron (including the inevitable mixture of the leas food Norman blood), and the Clydesdale orse. They are both excellent, and each may will-have their ardent admirers and advocatM.

The Clydesdales have, however, one imJ rase advantage. They have been bred from e first—that is from early in the present C.sntury, say from 1810.20—with carefully {•reserved pedigreeß, which are the subject of record. They show the result, in persistency of type, in steady improvement, and in the increasing demand for the horses both'.for labor and for breeding. They possess another advantage, namely, oolor. Although there is a. family of gray Clvdes whioh find favor, yet, in the long run, dark colors have a decided advantage over grays in the market. IThe CJydes are large, yet in sizs the old 33ngliah oarb horro is superior, but he haa the imputation of being a soft, fleahy-limbad, roast. They have good feet, yet one may hardly say " none have better;" though it ■would be hard to name a breed that haa, 'without fear of contradiction. They are laardy and tough when mature ; last well at iilow,. heavy work, and among them, those which do not naturally reach great size and weight trot off t freely, and with ease move llieavy loads at a brisk pace. They have neat llieads, well set on arching necks; their breasts Are deep and broad ; backs short, conMeeting the magnificent sloping shoulders with the massive loins ; barrel oylindrioal, and well' nibbedjoaok. Though standing 16 to 17 hands high, and weighing 1500 to 2000 pounds, they have the look of low-Bet, pony-built horses, whioh ii due to the shorl nsss of their limbs, and to the weight of bone in them The legs are flit, with hard firm tendons, and wre remarkably free from bony growths, liplintfj.epavine, Jko. A fancy whioh we can liiardly approve, has led to the encouragement of an enormous growth of hair upon the Hags and fetlocks, and this is now regarded as llndioiitive of purity of blood. Heavy manes tend forelocks are also prized. The traveller ma eta with magnificent teams ii>! these horses, or half-breds in all the large •oitiei of England and Scotland, and the American is amassd at the loads whioh they move with obvioua ease. On level, well paved .streets, or .on macadamized roads, a niinglo hone will draw, and ia often loaded with, three to five tons. Two tons to the

tuinglo hone, and four to six for pairs is.usual. We do not .load our heaviest teams like that ■ln this country—but it is surely economical :in every way. The demand for heavy horses iis constantly increasing .in our large cities, ifind far this class of horses there is always .a quick sale. They are easy keepers, and cost no more to raise until they are five than lighter horses, which require more eare and (training, while the Clyde oolt at three will earn his own living, though unfit for market.

As their name implies, these horses originated in the valley of the River Clyde, whose 'bonks for miles are lined with the greatest lishipyards of the world, and in those yards llarge numbers of these magnificent horses lore advantageously employed, and where they take great pride in them, as one of the characteristic products of this famous fertile and romantic valley. The animal shows of itho GHaigow Agricultural Society are especially interesting on account of the exhibition of peat numbers of these hones, where oompe.feitioo for the prizes is very close and severe.