S E C O N D ED I T I ON

H O R S E — B R E E D I N G

I N

E N G L A N D A N D I N D I A

A N D

ARMY H O R S E S AB RO A D

I R AL T E R G I L B E Y B A RT W . S ,

Ant/107 of

' H O RSE S F O R T H E ARMY ; T H E G REAT O R WAR H O RSE ; SMALL H O RSE S IN WARFARE ; H OR SES PA ST AND PRE SENT ; T H E HARNE S S H O RS E ; Y O UNG R ACE - H o RS E s ; EARLY CARRIAGE S AND R O ADS ; ANIMAL PAINTERS

O F & c & c . ENGLAND , ,

I L L US TRATED

LO N D ON "

V O C o . N E W B S E C . INT N , 9 RIDGE TREET ,

C O N T E N T S

HORSE - B REEDI NG I N 1 884 TH E PRESENT STATE O F A FFA I RS HORSES B RE D I N E NGLA ND HORSES B RED F O R S PORT O NLY PURC H ASE O F ENGLISH MA RES B Y FOREI GNERS HORSES W A NTE D F O R TH E A RMY S I ZEA B LE HA RNESS HORSES PRIVATE E NTERPRISE I N ENGLAND B REEDI NG W IT H OUT PREJ UD I CE

‘ LANDLORDS WOULD D O WELL TO GIVE C H O ICE O F S TA LL IONS CA USE O F FA I LUR E I N E NGLIS H HORSE - B REEDI NG HEI GH T O F R A CE - HORSES FROM 1 7 00 TO [ 90 0 C H A RA CTER O F R A CE - HORSE S FROM I 7 o o T O 1 90 0 TH E INTRODU CTI ON O F S H ORT R A CES TH E R OA DSTER O F A CENTURY A G O W H AT FOREI GN N ATIONS A R E DOI NG HORSE - B REEDI NG IN FRA NCE

' HORSE - B RE E DI N G I N GERM A NY (PRUSS IA ) HORSE - B REEDI NG I N HUNG A RY HORSE - B RE E D IN G I N A USTRI A HORSE - B REED ING I N ITA LY HORSE - B REEDI NG I N R USSI A H ORSE - B REED I N G I N TU RK EY HORSE - B REEDI NG I N IND I A " ' Opi n i o n s of th e L a te Vetem l z ary Co lo nel H a llen rs e nd a rs t i m r v e a e B r s r e o n s Fi t e vo u o p o N tiv e ed . A my R m u t d r e - h e wa o f an o s di n . a e are s ffi e s i n t H B re e g N tiv M . D i culti y

i m r v e m e ns s o ro re d s . o Pu rc hase o f s a o . n p nt . t lli E gl i h Th ughb O n r r all o ns o ro red s fro bj e cti o s to Th o o ughb e d St i . Th u ghb m

s ral a . H a ne a l o ns. es l s o f s n o ro re d A u t i ck y St l i R u t u i g Th ughb , a ne a n ra a l ns o ro re d and ra re s i n H ck y d A b St l i o . Th ughb A b Si e a e e r s o f n s o ar o s B o mb ay P re s id e ncy . R l tiv m it y o u g t ck by v i u f n i r 1 n w n the o rse s a o ns . o mmi S i o n o I u 0 0 rro rs i o r t lli C S q y 9 . E ki g H

r d n e and fo r o rse s fo r s o r i n nd a . al o ns B e e i g Sch e m e . D m h p t I i St li e rw r a l s z e o f the ra a e and s z e o f the o rs e o v o ke d . Sm l i A b Cl im t i h Opi n i o n s of Maj o r Gen eral S H ’ 7 0 1 m Wa lt o n

\ s s n s s e . o r o f o ld B e ng al tuds . h o rtco mi ng o f e x i ti g y t m . V k S S nd s r n ara e r f are s n re d . o e ess ne ss I i c imi nate b re ed i g . Ch ct o m ig o H p l o f evo lvi ng an A ngl o - I nd i an ho rse TH E HORSE - B REEDI NG (IN D I A ) COMM ISSI ON O F 1 90 0 - 1 I LL USTRATI O N S

PAG E

A C K the ro er o fthe N n D u e O f am l o n OVER HA C , p p ty i th k H i t

HUNTER S I RE — COGNA C

H EI G H T O F R ACE - H ORSES FROM 1 70 0 T O 1 90 0

S H AR K

O RVI LLE

’ K I NG GEORGE I V S HA C KNEY

A NGLO - N ORMA N STA LLI ON — R A D ZIWI LL

O L D E N B URG H M A RES

i v PR E F A C E

Certa in c/z anges leav ing co m e o ver t/z e co ncli ti o n ’ I of o u r no rse - oreea i ng i nclnstry i n E nglana da ring ’ t/z e last ew ears ana m o re recent info rm atio n f y , co ncerning tne wo rk of lco rse— oreecli ng i n I ndia

and toe starts o F rance Ge rm an I tal and f , y, y ' ’ ’ R nssi a lt ao z n been o ota i nea t/z i s Seco na E ition g , d ’ nas een nz ae n r o a ecessa y.

Cnapters o n S i z eaole H a rness H o rses and o n ’ “ ” Tae H ezg/et a na Cnaracter of R ace— H o rses fro m 1 7 0 0 to 1 90 0 nave been a dded to tae

l t x t o rigina e .

’ Tne particu lars of fo reign stna estaolis/z ments given i n tae fo llo wing pages sno w no w f ally Co ntinental natio ns realise tne impo rtance of

enco u ra in lz o rse- oree cli n and Me valu e tne g g g, y

r - continu e to set o n E ngli sn o eecli ng stoc/é .

E lsennanc H all

0 m A ril 1 0 6 3 p , 9

H O R S E - B R E E D I N G

I N E N G LA N D AN D I N D I A

A N D

A R MY H O R S E S A B R O A D

H O R S E - B R E E DI N G I N 1 8 84

M ore than twenty years since I drew attention * to the f neglect displayed in England in the breeding O Horses . Stress was then laid upon o u r increasing dependence on foreign cou ntries for supplies of horses of the generally usefu l stamp ; and u pon the mistaken policy Of selling tb Continental b u yers the mares we might with profit to ou rselves retain

u for breeding purposes at home , if s ch mares are properly mated .

T H E P R E S E N T S TAT E O F A F FA I R S

M u ch has happened to alter the general condition of

' affai rs si nce those words were spoken ; Since the first edition

Of 1 0 1 this book appeared in the year 9 , the change in some departments Of road transport in Britain has been increasingly

- l rapid . We have seen the horse drawn tramcar rep aced in many Cities by the electrically driven car ; and the motor driven omnibus threatens now to displace the horse - drawn vehicle .

’ Wzth D i scusswn thereo n A Paper read at 78 8 4 at the Farmers Club .

’ b the D uke o Westmmster arl C arrz n to n Si r N i el Ki n Sco te y f , E g , g g ,

Mr. dmund Tattersall and o thers. E , These Changes have brou ght about as a nat u ral con sequence a decrease in the demand for the stamp of horse which was formerly required ; and this decreased demand is Shown by the falling Off in our importa tions Of horses during

the last few years .

I t will be Observed that o u r imports Of horses have now

o f u 1 8 1 0 0 fallen below those the years previo s to 99 , 9 and

1 0 1 9 , the period when the South African War drained England

Of horses for artillery and transport , and obliged us to buy foreign horses in greater number than we had ever done before

F O R T H E TW Y 1 886 —1 905 ENTY EARS ,

1 896 1 897 1 898 1 899 1 900 1 901 1 902 1 903 1 904 1 905

H O R SE S B R E D I N E N G LA N D I have given the figures for the last twenty years to enable the reader to compare those Of recent years with importations at earlier dates ; but it is the steady decrease during the last fo u r years u pon which I wish to insist ; and in conjunction

1 0 2 1 0 1 0 1 0 u with these figures for 9 , 9 3, 9 4 and 9 5 , I wo ld ask the reader ’ s attention to the Government Returns of Agricu lt u ral H orses in England d u ring the last few years "

1 897 1 902 1 898 1 903 1 899 1 904 1 900 1 905 1 901 The infl u en ce Of the So u th African War was felt by the

- n u b u t horse breeding i d stry in common with others , th e

u bred more recovery was rapid ; and , as the fig res Show , we

horses o r work 1 0 1 0 1 0 f in Englan d in 9 3, 9 4 and in 9 5 than

u we had done for several years previo sly .

The horses ret u rned as Agric u ltural are no t all animals Of the stamp fitted fo r the plo u gh and heavy dra u ght work Of

u the farm . They incl de a very considerable proportion Of higher and more val u able class ; and there can be no dou bt that breeders are at last waking u p to the tr u th of the doctrine I have been striving to teach fo r more than twenty years that there is a constant and steady demand for carriage

n d a a s . u horses , that it p y to breed them The horses ret rned “ u u u as Agricult ral also incl de , it cannot be do bted , a proportion Of animals bred by farmers with the view of sale ' as

u and h nters and ponies for polo other work , the demand for

— c - — which parti ularly for polo ponies steadily increases . The “ fan c y prices paid for polo - ponies Of proved merit has done

u u n f m ch to enco rage the productio Of animals O this class .

- As regards high Class carriage horses , it is noteworthy

w u se - that , not ithstanding the increased Of motor cars , the demand fo r carriage horses contin u es to be as keen as it was

f — before these machines were invented . The sales O high class harness horses at Tattersall ’ s and other great London repositories during 1 90 5 produced keener competition among bu yers and higher prices than they have ever done before .

I t would seem , therefore , that at last the work done by

- the Horse B reeding Societies is beginni ng to bear fr u it . The twelve Breed Societies have done a great deal to enco u rage

Of the improvement Of horses , by the promotion shows an d

f u donation O pri z es . At a ro gh estimate the amount Of money distributed in pri z es at Shows held throu ghou t England may

nd u . be put at between {2 a If3 per ann m I n addition to these endeavou rs to awaken the cou ntry

Of and breeders to our needs , the sum since the year 1 8 8 7 has annually been granted by Government to encou rage h - orse breeding . The greater part of this money fo r more than a cent u ry had been given by the reigning sovere i gn I n the f Shape o Royal Plates .

In 1 8 8 7 the Royal Commission on H orse - Breeding was a f ppointed , and one of the first recommendations o this body was that the su m o f which had been given by Queen Victoria in pri z es for races should be diverted to the use to

— u which it is now applied namely , in giving premi ms to

thoroughbred stallions .

H O R S E S B R E D F O R S PO R T O N L Y

S ince the end of the coaching era — say since 1 8 5 0 — we

u have been breeding , as at the present day , almost excl sively fo r u o u r pleasure , and not for b siness , and this is just Where weakness lies .

The only animals for b u siness pu rposes whic h receive the meed of attention their importance deserves are the heavy

- — u ff draught horses the Shire , S olk and Clydesdale .

We are far ahead o f any other nation as breeders o f

- u - — race horses , h nters and polo ponies horses used in sport

b u t we spare neither money nor pains to breed the best , in aim ing at prod u ction of these we either hit the mark or miss it altogether .

u u We prefer a Thoro ghbred Sire , not beca se he has bone ,

u u b u t u i s u . s bstance and so ndness , beca se he a Thoro ghbred The owner of a mare does not inqu ire concerning the make "” and shape of the stallion ; he asks , H ow is he bred and

— a fashionable pedigree is the strongest nay , the only recommendation he will accept .

This was not always the case ; between the years 1 8 0 0

1 8 0 u and 5 , broadly Speaking , Hunter Sires were sed to beget

u u Hunter stock . I t is tr e that breeders of H nters did not

o f u fo r confine themselves exclusively to the use s ch sires , the increased speed of hou nds obliged them to prod u ce faster

b u t u horses s ch animals as Cognac , whose portrait is here

u o f given , were very largely sed , to the great benefit the f . o Hunter Cognac belonged , in the words a writer in t he S o rti n Ma az i ne 1 8 6 to u p g g of the year 3 , a race of H nters n u u early extinct , and j stly celebrated for their high co rage ,

‘ ” honesty and stoutness .

u The famous writer , M r . Corneli s Tongue , best known as “ ” S o rti n Al a az i ne 1 8 1 Cecil , writing in the p g g of M ay , 5 , says “ t hat it was a prevailing Opinion with hunting men u ntil w ithin the last twenty years that Thoro u ghbreds were

n o t u u . t calc lated for h nting I t would appear , therefore , hat

1 8 1 - 1 8 1 u during the twenty years 3 5 mentioned , h nting men c u hanged their opinions with regard to Thoro ghbreds , and c ame to consider them s u itable for riding across co u ntry .

H aving discovered that the H u nter mare threw a good foal

u u u to the sto t Thoro ghbred sire , some h nting men , at least , e vidently adopted the practice of riding the Thorou ghbred horse as a H u nter instead of u sing him only as a sire to beget

u he ar H u nters . I n this connection we m st always in mind that the Thorou ghbred of the period referred to was still a s u to to t horse , able gallop a distance and carry a heavy

weight .

Because the Thorou ghbred sire of a former generation

u was successfully sed to beget H unters , we have taken for granted that his greatly altered modern descendant is equ ally s uitable for the pu rpose ; and herein to a great extent lies the

r eason of our fail u re .

There must always be a large proportion o fdisappointments i n stud work ; the n u mber o f fail u res o r misfits will always

e ee u xc d the good ones , and the misfit got by a Thoro ghbred

u u u from , say , a H nter mare already f ll of Thoro ghbred blood is only t o o Often a misfi t in the fu llest sense o f the word

fo r disappointment to the breeder , too light Army work , and

s carcely fit fo r u sefu l p u rposes - An homely langu age it is a “ weed . P U R C H A S E O F E N G L I S H M A R E S B Y FO R E I G N E R S

I n u s Fran ce , Germany , H ngary , and other foreign countrie

ff . breeders work on very di erent lines They breed for business , not for pleasu re ; their aim is to produ ce the highest stamp .

fo r o fusefu l horse . With this definite obj ect they have sixty

u i years and more been b y ng English mares , free from bias in

u . s favo r of one strain or another Geldings , the foreign breeder

u scarcely ever p u rchase from u s . The larger n mber o f mares bou ght by them are those which have been accidentally blemished ; b u t in all cases the shape and not the pedigree o f u u the mare g ides the p rchaser . They also b u y sou nd

fo r o f young mares work , and with the view breeding from them afterwards .

The eagerness with which foreign agents seek to b u y mares from u s has given rise to the idea that England and I reland have b een and are being steadily drained of the best “ mares and statements to the effect that all o u r best mares ” h are sold to go abroad ave been frequently published . f N othing cou ld be more misleading . The owners o good brood mares will not part with them , and we have in this co u ntry the foundation - stock from which to prod u ce in the

u far f ture , as we have done in the past , horses of all breeds

u i s perior to any that are bred n France and Germany . We

a b u t in England and I reland w nt , not the material , the

u u se . j dgment to it properly We have the material , and that o f u b u t do u se the best , in ab ndance we not make the best of

. b u it Foreign breeders y what they can , and , by the exercise o f u nbiassed j u dgment in mating the mares with su itable

u stallions , t rn the material obtained from us to far better acco u nt than we sho u ld do . I insisted on this point in the address I read before the ’ “ Farmers Club in M arch , I said it was an admitted

Ridi n and D ri vi n o r es h i n a nz nt T s g g H s T ei r B reed ng a d M nage e . hi a er a e r se to a m o s n ere s n d s u ss o n i n the a e D u e o f p p g v i t i t ti g i c i , which l t k W e s m ns e r th e a e ar o f arr n o n th e M r C e a r. m u Ta e sa t i t , l t E l i gt , l t Ed nd tt ll , Si r N e K n s o e and o e r ro m ne n u ig l i g c t th p i t a tho riti e s t o o k part .

6 o r a total of The war establishment o f a battery o f

1 1 0 4 Royal Field Artillery is 3 horses ; 7 , 7 r additional horses would therefore be requ ired to eq u ip the new batteries fo r active service .

C u u olonel De B rgh , Director of Transport and Remo nts ,

th 1 0 6 the in a letter dated 9 March , 9 , informs me that “ u o f a thorised Peace Establishment horses for all arms ,

u l o f excl sive of I ndia , is A arge proportion these are

u o f u b u t dra ght horses good stamp , powerf l active animals ,

u s itable for work in the gu n team or tra n sport waggon .

’ I t may be s u ggested that B ritain s position as a colonising

u o f nation , while it casts pon her larger responsibilities

u preparedness for war , lends her larger opport nities of meeting

u s those responsibilities . I t wo ld be impossible in these island to find grou nd for breeding - studs o n the scale that would enable u s to meet a demand for all the horses we might requ ire for warfare on any extensive scale . This q u estion of military horse supplies is now become

u graver than before . The s u bstit tion of mechanical traction for horse power by the great carrying com panies is cu tting o ff a source o f s u pply whose val u e was s u fficiently proved "

u u \ . U d ring the So th African V ar nder the registration scheme , large n u mbers of seasoned h orses o f the stamp most su itable for Artillery and transport work were obtained from the omnibu s and kindred companies ; if electricity and motor

to fo r u engines are replace horses s ch city work , the Army

m u st look elsewhere fo r its requ irements in time of need .

o u r u , I f I may venture an opinion , policy sho ld be to

o u r o - u encourage in C lonies Canada , Australia , and S o th

u Africa , more especially , as possessing soil an d climate s itable fo r the ind u stry — the breeding of horses of the u sefu l type

u u e req ired for military service . There is space to cond ct thes

operations on a large scale in the Colonies , while the mission

u u of the mother co ntry might well be to contin e , as at present , breeding the best of every strain as a sou rce o f supply to

Colonial breeders who may seek to improve their local stock .

8 The Government might profitably send to inspect an d

u u report on the great st ds of France , Germany , H ngary ,

u R u ssia and other co ntries .

S f b u t the uch inspections may have been made o ficially , Reports have not been made accessible to the breeders o f thi s

i cou ntry . I t goes without saying that the cho ce of agents to make su ch inspections and reports m u st be a matter of great

T he difficu lty . agent must be a man possessed of practical

- o ne experience in horse breeding , and not in breeding only f class o horse . The man who has devoted himself exclusively

u o f - to the prod ction one class of horse , whether the race horse o r u o f h as the h nter , cannot rid himself the prejudices he necessarily formed in the co u rse of his experience as a breeder of race - horses o r h u nters— he cannot pu t aside his bias in favour

f u s o a horse s itable for sport . Few breeders devote themselve to t h e prod u c tion of several classes of horse and the su ccessfu l men among these few are nat u rally disincli ned to leave their b u si ness for a prolonged to u r throu gh the horse - breedin g distri cts of Europe .

S I Z E A B L E H A R N E S S H O R S E S I t is impossible to deny that there is in the United Kingdom a great want of si z eable harness horses ; and this is

o f a want which , in the interests national defence , we Should

u r be able to satisfy from o own breeding grounds . W e cannot do it .

- h I stated , in my address twenty two years ago , that Englis

u — u z horses s itable for match pairs sq are made , si eable and having courage and action — cou ld then be scarcely obtained ; and t he statement is hardly less tru e t o day . I also stated that it was only necessary to visit the yards o f o u r metropolitan and co u ntry dealers to discover ho w difficult and costly a matter it was then to find a London brougham - horse or a . match pair from to hands in height . A Similar mission might be u ndertaken t o day with the certainty of enco u ntering m u ch the same difficulty .

9 H u ndreds o f pairs of carriage and coach horses have been sold every year in London at from £ 2 0 0 to £5 0 0 a

u u un o f pair , the p rchasers being q ite aware their foreign o rigin . At recent sales brown and bay u pstanding coach

' horses from coaches ru nning du ring the s u mmer o u t o fLondon have sold at from 1 0 0 to 20 0 gu ineas ; a pair p u rchased by a

c n friend cost 350 gu ineas . There a be no do u bt whatever where these animals were bred if anyone took the trou ble to trace t heir pedigree it wou ld be fo u nd that they came either from the Oldenbourg province o fGerma ny o r from the horse breeding districts of N ormandy in France ; there can be no m istaking the breeds .

When the Royal Commission o n I rish H orse - Breeding

1 8 u u o f was appointed in the year 97 , m ch evidence in s pport the above statement was given by two of the largest j ob

u masters in London . Mr . Wimb sh stated th at he began to buy

u 1 8 8 u horses in N ormandy abo t the year 7 , and he contin ed t o obtain them from that co u ntry becau se they were j u st the stamp o fanimal required for carriage work .

“ o wn I n his words , these N orman horses are not very large or and occasionally u p to 1 6 hands — b u t they

o f u u are horses bea tif l appearance , very handsome and Splendid

b u t o n goers ; they not only step well , go most excellently

” t heir hind legs .

u b u Formerly , the London dealers sed to y carriage horses

H n n i n America . M r . enry Withers i formed the Commissio ers that for fou r or fi v e years his firm maintained one huver in

o o f Lexingt n and another in N ew York . The scarcity good c to do arriage horses in England and Ireland obliged him this ,

u o f t hou gh American horses were very dear . I n co rse time

no t the Lexington and N ew York agencies were abandoned , beca u se carriage horses of the requ ired stamp cou ld be fou n d

b u t u u in Great Britain , beca se they co ld be procured more

B u U cheaply in France , Germany and elgi m than in the nited

States .

I O Mr . Withers informed the Commissioners that only a fortnight before he appeared to give evidence he had been o n

u u the Continent to p rchase horses , an d had bo ght in Paris ,

u . H anover , Br ssels and G hent

b u t o ne u This is an anomaly , for which it wo ld be u u m - - o f nj st to bla e the dealers , for English bred harness horses the class requ ired have not been bred in any q u antity in this cou ntry for more than fi fty years .

The enterprising English dealers take measu res to meet

’ their cu stomers requ irements by m aintaining o n the Continent a gents whose bu siness has been to purchase the most “ ” English - looking animals they can find ; and it may be asserted withou t fear of contradi c tion that the horses so p u rchased are bred from English stock . S The steady progress made by the H ackney H orse ociety , as evidenced by the ann u al increase in the n u mber of animals e S xhibited at the how held each year at I slington , gives ground for the hope that at last this matter o f harness horse breeding is receiving more of the attention it deserves . Those interested in the su bj e c t appear now to be realising that we c an breed in England harness horses of a class qu ite as good

n o t u o b m asters i as , if s perior to , those for which the j pay h gh prices in the French and German markets .

u u I t wo ld be strange if we co ld not do so , having regard to the fact that the foreign breeders have b u ilt u p their

fl- e xcellent harness horses very largely — almost e nti rely o n stock p u rchased from England .

P R I V AT E E N T E R PR I S E I N E N G LA N D

no t n I t is , I think , desirable that the B ritish Gover ment

shou ld embark u pon costly horse - breeding operations in

emulation of foreign powers . Private enterprise in England has su cceeded in produ cing domesti c animals o fall kinds so far l superior to those bred in other countries that Eng ish stock ,

o r S u whether H orses , Cattle , Sheep wine; are p rchased at

1 -1 fancy prices to improve their kind in every civilised part o f

u the world , and breeding industries wo ld not benefit were the independence of the individ u al undermined by G overnment help which relieved him from the necessity to exercise hi s own energies and j udgment .

u I t m st be said , however , that private enterprise is not always wisely directed . The practice among large landed proprietors and others of keeping stallions to serve the mare s o fthei r tenants and others at small fees is increasing .

I t is an ungrate fu l task to take exception to a practice which proves an xiety both to promote the welfare of the tenants and to encourage the breeding of good horses ; b u t it must be pointed o u t that to keep a Thorou ghbred stallion t o u serve any or all the mares that may be bro ght to him , tends directly to defeat the good obj ects in view .

B R E E D I N G WI T H O U T P R E J U DIC E I t will be seen that none of the Continental Governments

which devote attention to horse - breeding pin their faith to

one single breed and depend u pon that to improve all breeds .

The ground plan o f the system in each cou ntry is to, raise the standard of merit of each breed ( 1 ) by providing the best proc u rable stallions of that breed for p u blic

lo w 2 ff w o f service at fees , an d ( ) by a ording the o ners

o f mares a certain range choice in stallions , that defects may be eliminated o r improvement obtained by j u dicio u s

crossing .

the system o f affording owners of mares

opport u nity for choosing among variou s stallions all the bes t of their kind has been long in vogue we see the resu lts in the shape of distinct strains which breed true to

type ; for example , in Hungary they have established a breed

o f saddle - horses ; in France a distinct strain o f carriage

horses — the Angl o - N orman — has been established on so tru e

1 2 u and constant a basis that it not only breeds tr e to type , but can be depended on to assert itself when crossed with

u other breeds and stamp its character pon the progeny .

LA N D L O R D S W O U L D D O WE L L T O G I V E C H O IC E O F S TA L L I O N S

Those who desire to assist their te nants can only f accomplish their end by keeping stallions o several breeds . Let the owner of a mare choose for himself whether he shall

u t u u - p her to a Thoro ghbred , H nter sire , H ackney , Arab , or to a stallion of one of our D raught breeds . We should then have in operation a system which combines the inval u able advantage o fchoice so wisely provided

by foreign stud - masters with that freedo m to exercise discretion and j u dgment from which none wo u ld wish to see o u r farmers relieved .

I f one landowner be u nable or u nwilling to maintain su ch

e u a stud repr sentative of several breeds , there wo ld be surely no great difficulty in two or three landlords combining to maintain a j oint st u d at one farm ; for the essence o f the plan is to make all the stallions e qu ally accessible .

In th is connection I wo u ld add that I am no advocate fo r

- u u o ne horse breeding by p blic companies . The b siness is not

that lends itself to ind u strial enterprise in that form .

C A U SE O F F A I L U R E I N E N G L I S H H OR S E - B R E E DI N G

I f evidence be require d to explain how we have failed to

’ u n a to s pply the ation s wants , it is only necess ry to refer the Reports of the vario u s C ommissions which have been

u - appointed to inquire into the s bject of horse breeding , and more particu larly to the Report of Lord Cathcart already

referred to . Lord Cathcart makes the cogent remark that “ in addition and s u pplementary to blood we m u st have s u bstance

u from somewhere . The tr th is that we have been working

I 3 a s though blood necessarily gives s u bstance . This was the case a b u t u hundred years ago and less , is tr e no longer , and we must divest o u rselves of the idea so resol u tely held that the Thorou gh

C an bred is the only strain which improve o u r horses . Like f u u oreign breeders , we m st seek bone and s bstance where those

u u q alities exist and not where they only sed to exist .

H E I G H T O F RAC E - H O R S E S F R O M 1 7 0 0 T O 1 90 0

u 1 0 0 n Abo t the year 7 , whe the foundations of o ur

u o u r - Thoro ghbred stock were laid , race horses averaged “ — 1 4 hands o r thereabo u t . The three fo u ndation sires the Byerly T u rk (imported the D arley Arabi an (imported

and the Godolphin Arabian (imported 1 7 2 4 ) — were each o fthem horses of abou t 1 4 hands ; and the race - horses Of that

u n . S and s bseque t generations were no larger ome , indeed ,

’ u C u rwe n s B a o u t o f were smaller M ixb ry , by y Barb an O ld

S w as . pot M are , only in height

The weights small horses were asked to carry were

- greatly in excess on those in vogu e o n the race cou rse no w .

1 1 1 fo r Si x u I n 7 , the conditions a g inea Plate at N ewmarket

u 1 0 o r i mposed a b rden of stone on the horse , mare gelding of

1 fo r o r 4 hands , with weight inches if below above that

— o f height which , clearly , was the average height the racehorse

o f . the time The weights , prescribed by law , for the Royal

1 0 1 2 to . Plates ranged from to stone , according age

The u su al length o fa r ace — ru n in heats be it noted — was fo u r miles ; b u t si x mile races were not u n u su al in 1 7 0 0 - 1 8 0 0 u ntil the later years o f that cent u ry . These longer races

u b u t u c then fell into dis se , fo r miles ontinued to be the distance for the Royal Plates d u ring the earlier years of the

1 u 9th cent ry .

- As the years passed , the race horse became higher . The s fo r 1 0 cale Give and Take Plates , framed in 7 7 , gives the weights to be carried by horses o f from 1 2 to 1 5 hands ; the

1 4

latter was obvio u sly the extreme height fo r Which it w as

was considered necessary to provide , and it probably an u ncommon thing fo r the limit to be reached .

’ B ai l s Ma az i ne 1 8 6 0 Admiral Rous ( y g , ) showed that the average height o f the Thorou ghbred had then increased one

’ - u t inch in every twenty fi v e years . Facts bear o the Admiral s statement .

\Ve cannot do u bt that the rate of increase in height has been more rapid from 1 8 0 0 to 1 90 0 than it w as from 1 7 0 0 to

1 8 0 0 - u 1 8 0 0 o r , and for this reason Abo t the year , a little

two - - earlier , the practice of racing year old horses was

u u u introd ced , and , as a nat ral conseq ence , breeders began to

“ ’ 1 force their yo u ng stock in order to make them the sooner ready for racing .

u 1 8 6 The res lts of this policy had become evident in 3 , for an a u thority writing in that year says

’ We a e se en a th e ‘ T ur o m m e n e d W i o n e s and a h v th t f c c th p i , th t 1 n s ere o u nd am n h e fo r a l o ng peri o d h o rse s u nd e r 4 h a d w f o g t b e s t racers . Th e i nt e llige nt re ader m u s t perc eiv e that th e gre at s i z e so m u ch admi re d b y th e p u blic i n b ro o d m are s h as b een acq u i red . Th e n s ra e r we anno do u b a u re d hi s e n ar ed s ru u re r E gli h c , c t t , cq i l g t ct by ich fo o d .

“ u u The enlarged str cture to which the a thor refers , in

1 u his day , did not exceed 5 hands ; we may do bt whether the

i V I u . I nd du al average height was so m ch horses there were ,

u u s 1 as the T rf records inform , which measured over 5 hands

u b u t we abo t this period , these were very exceptional , and shall probably be within the mark if we pu t the average height

- - o fthe race horses of 1 8 0 0 1 8 2 0 at 1 4 hands 3 inches .

With the increase in height attai ned in our own day o u r

- u race horses have lost , in great meas re , the qualities possessed

u by their smaller ancestors . I t wo ld seem that there is a

- point in height , beyond which the race horse , or indeed any

. . Sc awen u horse , cannot with advantage be bred M r B l nt

A C o mparati ve Vi ew of the Fo rm and Character of the Engli sh Racer and S addle- Ho rses duri ng the Past and Present C enturi es Pu b li sh ed b y

m as H o o k h am 1 O ld B o nd S re e Lo ndo n . 1 8 6 Tho , 5 t t , 3

1 5 d iscovered this in his extensive experience as a breeder of

u fi u Arabs . H e fo n d that there was no dif c lty in grading them u p a couple of in c hes ; b u t he found that when this had been

no done the bigger horses were in way stouter , stronger or

z b etter than Arabs of normal si e .

. u n Mr William Day , the famo s trainer , was a stro g

f h f z advocate o r t e horse o moderate si e . H e writes

As a ru l e yo u m ay get fifty go o d s m all ho rse s fo r o ne go o d l arge o ne and th e o rm er ll and do ru n e a e r th e a er h as e e n u t to , f wi , , w ll ft l tt b p A o o i r e m th e s t u d . g d b g ho s ay be at a go o d littl e o ne O v e r a sho rt c o u rse ; b u t I thi nk at th ree o r fo u r mile s a go o d littl e o ne wo u ld b e at th e b est b i g o ne I e v e r saw .

o f Mr . Day admits the great merits some big horses

— b u t Fisherman and Rataplan , for example , both for the

- race course and the stud , his unrivalled experience leads him

’ to o ne w prefer the small ; in fact , hen he reviews forty years

can b u t work among horses , he recall one single good stallion

-“ k o r u 1 6 m Sto c well. above abo t hands na ely , i

C H A R A C T E R O F RACE - H O R S E S F R O M 1 7 0 0 T O 1 90 0

We have only to examine the history o f the race - horse to discover that the breed has undergone most marked changes

u in conformation , constitution and character d ring the last

two h u ndred years ; and to realise t hat while the race - horse Of

u n u .a former age co ld be depended on to beget a imals so nd and

hardy , capable of carrying weight , and that over long distances , he has u ndergone s u ch changes that it is absurd to expect him

to do the same thing i n o u r own day . For generations we have aimed at the development o f a

horse of great speed , able to travel a short distance under a light weight and having accomplished this with the greatest

success , we still expect him to beget horses able to travel long

distances u nder heavy weights at reasonable speeds - 40

beget , in a word , horses of similar stamp to his remote a u ncestors , from whom we have made him tterly dissimilar

i t - The Race ho rse I ll Trai nuzg. r t The H o rse " H o w to B reed and R ea H i m .

1 6

We may su m u p this aspect o f o u r s u bject by saying

- t hat the modern race horse , as a sire for the improvement

u r u u u o f o breeds of usef l horses , is living pon the rep tation

made by his ancestors , who , by reason of their form and

u q ualities , co ld do what we have made it impossible for the modern Thoroughbred to do impart q u alities we have

carefu lly bred o u t of him .

u had S ch horses as Shark , whose portrait is here given , bone and substance . The work they were called upon to

u u o f — perform req ired the highest q alities the horse stamina ,

- staying power and ability to carry weight . Shark was foaled

1 1 was Marsk S in 7 7 , and got by from a mare by nap ;

he was bred by M r . Robert Pigott , and made his first appearance o n a raceco u rse at the N ewmarket First October

1 . 2 1 Meeting of 7 7 4 H e started 9 times and won 9 times , r eceiving 6 forfeits and paying 4 ; he won more money than any horse u p to his time .

S u hark , like many of our celebrated Thoro ghbreds , was

1 86 u sent to America in 7 , and in Virginia laid the fo ndation o fthe famous Snap blood .

o f H ambletonian , another representative horse the old

1 2 stamp , was foaled in 7 9 ; he was got by King Fergus from

H i hfi er a mare by g y , and was bred by Mr . J . Hutchinson , 1 of Skipton , near York . I n 7 95 he was sold to Sir C harles

Turner , and by him in the following year to Sir Henry

Vane Tempest . Hambletonian was only once beaten , and on that occasion (at York August Meeting of 1 7 97 ) he ran

Ou t u u of the co rse j st after starting . H is most famous

’ achievement was his victory over M r . Cookson s Diamond on h 2 t 1 N . s March , 7 99 , at ewmarket

Su 1 8 ch a horse as Orville , whose portrait faces page , may

- be offered as an example of the race horse o f a century ago .

1 w as B u o u t This horse was foaled in 7 99 , and by eningbro gh

. z of Evelina He was bred by Earl Fit william , and between

1 80 1 , when he ran his first race at D oncaster , and the Second

I 7 October Meeting at N ewmarket in 1 8 0 7 b e fu lfilled 2 2 engage

1 8 . ments , of which he won H e was second once , received

u u forfeit once , and walked over once . H is s ccesses incl ded

S t . 1 8 0 2 u s the Leger of , and he won races nder all weight

’ (incl u ding a King s Plate in 1 8 0 5 u nder 1 2 stone) and at all

1 8 0 . 2 th S distances On 4 eptember , 4 , at Doncaster , he won

- - i n u . two races , one fo r mile heats , the other in two mile heats

1 8 0 o f o f H e became , in 4 , the property Prince G eorge Wales , and proved a most successfu l sire when sent to the stud . “ Orville is described as a good brown .

The Colonel was a good horse of a generation later ; he

VV v i ll o f u 1 8 2 . was bred by Mr . y , B rton Constable , in 5 After

8 2 . St . 1 winning the Leger in 9 , he was sold to King George I V

1 1 for and won many important races in 1 8 30 and 8 3 .

u u When the Hampton C o rt st d was dispersed in October ,

1 8 fo r . 37 , he was purchased guineas by M r Richard

Tattersall . These were animals which could be depended to run

- b eats three four mile in an afternoon , and could therefore be depended o n to produce stock with their o wn val u able characteristics .

T H E I N T R O D U C T I O N O F S H O R T R ACE S

- ru n - h to The Old fashioned race , in four mile eats , began grow less popular during the last qu arter of the eighteenth

u u - cent ry , and the tendency to red ce the length of races and also the weights carried became marked in the earlier years * f h r o the nineteenth cent u ry . E lse w e é an example o f the

o u r remarkable change in Turf system has been given , and may conveniently be repeated here . At the Newmarket Craven Meeting of 1 8 2 0 there was one race of abou t three miles , five races of t wo miles or over , twenty races of about

“t ' o rses ast a nd n B I R I L EE Y rese t. S W G B . u s ed H , P P y ALTER , ART P bli h V n n C o . L o td . 1 0 0 by i t , 9 .

1 8

m one ile , and two of under one mile . At the N ewmarket C raven Meeting of 1 90 0 there were three races o f abo u t o ne

u o f mile and a half, si x of abo t one mile , and eleven five or

u six f rlongs .

I n 1 8 32 a new schedule of weights was iss u ed for the

Royal Plates . From about this time the system o fshort race s and light weights began to develop , and as it developed the

- character of the race horse u nderwent a change . With every desire to prod u ce Thoroughbreds possessing power as well as

u u e speed , breeders have fo nd themselves unable to reprod c the former qual ity and su ccessfu lly compete for the great

z f u pri es o the T u rf. To be successf l in these days the race

u d b u t horse must possess the tmost spee , he need not be able to travel at speed for a greater distance than a mile and a half at most , and if he can carry 9 stone he is considered a weight carrier .

T H E RO A D S T E R O F A C E N T U R Y AG O

Thou ghtfu l writers foresaw the res u lt of this change in

6 0 u s the English Turf more than years ago , when Thoro ghbred of stamina and su bstance were far more plentiful than they are

’k now . An author previously q u o te d declared that at that date “ There are powerful reasons for conclu ding that the single quality of speed possessed by the modern ( 1 8 36) racer is a

u bad substitute for the fine old nion of speed , stoutness and structural power possessed by the old racer .

The racer of the thirties was lighter than his ancestors , but he was far stouter and truer made than his modern “ - descendant . The older race horses , wrote this author , were swift enough to enable the general breeder to produce

- excellent saddle horses . Our roadsters were formerly admirable

A Co mparati ve Vi ew of the Form and Character of the Engli sh Racer n addle— o rses ur n r s n u a d S H d i g the Past and P e e t C enturi es . P bli shed by T o m as H o o k h am 1 O ld B o nd S re e L o ndo n 1 8 6 h , 5 t t , 3

I 9 and u plentif l , while at present a compact and powerfu l roadster with free action is scarcely to be bought at any price . I t is

O u o f o u r u bvio s that the horses cavalry are m ch deteriorated , and that many of them cou ld no t go thro u gh a single campaign .

A fine example of the Old - fashioned saddle - horse is shown

’ in the frontispiece , which is reproduced from George Garrard s “ o f picture Archibald , ninth Duke of H amilton and B randon , o n b k a cover ac . This work was engraved and pu blished

1 in 7 97 .

- Another example of the Old fashioned roadster , whose d v i s isappearance the writer abo e quoted deplores , M onitor , a very fast H ackney which belonged to George I V . That

o f monarch was passionately fond horses , and Monitor was

u evidently a special favo rite , as his portrait was painted by

R . A James Ward , . , and exhibited at the Royal Academy in

1 8 2 . 5 This horse was a son of the famous Phenomenon , who t races his descent in a direct line to the Darley Arabian . The D arley Arabian (foaled 1 7 0 2 ) begat Flying Childers ( foaled in

who - was the speediest race horse of his time , and was c onsidered by many a better horse than Eclipse . The portrait o f M onitor , which is here given , shows the best stamp of the o ld u h u c o nsti tu N orfolk H ackney ; musc lar , ardy and so nd of tion and limb , this breed furnished the ideal roadster .

WH AT F O R E I G N N AT I O N S A R E D OI N G

Foreign G over n ments re c ognise the fact that they can learn something from their neighbou rs ; they give proof of this by the enco u ragement they lend to Horse Shows of

u an I nternational character , s ch as those which have been

u held in recent years at Antwerp , Hamb rg , Amsterdam ,

u 1 0 0 . Vienna , Br ssels , and in 9 at Paris These exhibitions afford opport u nities which do no t occu r otherwise of comparing the results of variou s systems and methods o f breeding .

2 0

A golden Opportunity of seeing the stamp o f horse each G overnment of E u rope is striving to prod u ce for military

u S 1 0 0 purposes occ rred in eptember , 9 , in the I nternational

H orse S how held at Paris , when the French Government s u z u pent pwards of in pri es , on erecting s itable

u & c . b ildings , , for the show , which lasted only one week . There were collected horses o f nu mero u s and varied strains

a u u from all p rts of France , from Germany , H ngary , A stria ,

O u fo r R u ssia and T u rkey . S excellent an opport nity comparing a large n u mber of represe n tative examples o f different breeds i s u u o u r n likely to rec r in time , and it is a thousan d pities that the War O ffice a u thorities did no t send o ne o r two c ompetent men to profit by the wonderfu l object - lesson there provided .

The Army horses 0 1 variou s nations exhibited at the

Paris Show were shown mounted . To demonstrate the results of the practice o f breeding for the various c lasses of

u o f z work horses are req ired to perform , a selection si eable stallions and mares was first paraded , and these were followed into the ring by a troop o f heavy cavalry mou nted o n the prod u ce o f these stallion s and mares . Then we were s o f u z hown stallions and mares medi m si e , and with them a

u detachment of cavalry mo nted on their progeny . After these came stallions and mares more highly bred , followed a u n o n gain by a troop of light cavalry mo ted their progeny . N othing more interesting and more instr u ctive co u ld have b een devised . I t is worth while glancing briefly at the systems prevail

i n u u G u ing France , H ngary , A stria , ermany , I taly , T rkey

u and R ssia . The reader will Observe that the object o f each Government being to foster and e n cou rage the breeding o f u u e u horses of classes most sef l to the peopl of the co ntry , there is in every case Considerable variety of breed in the

u o f public st ds , an d that the owner a mare may exercise his o wn u j dgment in selection of a sire .

2 1 H O R S E - B R E E DI N G I N F R A N CE

At the conclusion o f the wars which called forth all her

u strength in the earlier years Of the nineteenth cent ry , the want of horses in France engaged the serious attention of the Government . C ommissioners were appointed to travel throu gh the country and ascertain what horses of certain Old and esteemed breeds could be procu red to re - stock the Royal Studs ; and meas u res were adopted to enco u rage private breeders .

The Sporti ng Magaz i ne o f 1 8 2 0 contains translation o f a min u te presented by the M inister o f the I nterior to

u " Lo is V I I I . recommending a number of gentlemen for gold and silver medals in recognition o f the work they had done and were doing to promote the breeding of horses . Some details are given of the studs owned by these gentlemen , and from these it would appear that Arabs and Spanish stallions found place in several private studs . From the same publication we learn that for some years prior to 1 8 2 0 foreign breeders had ceased to buy

u only Thoro ghbreds in England to improve their stocks , “ and great numbers of o u r half- bred mares have been ” collected and sent abroad . The trade then established has

6 and continued ever since , as has been shown on pages 7 , “ u nder the heading P U R C H AS E O F EN G L ISH M A R E S B Y

FO R E I G N E RS .

t he S orti n Ma az i ne Cecil , in an article on racing in p g g

1 8 1 of 5 , says horses for general use were then very scarce in

England , whilst the French Government were encouraging

u n fo r their production , more especially that of powerf l a imals military purposes and for general utility .

2 2

1 The t he strength o f the st u ds at the beginning of 90 5 . stallions , it will be noticed , are divided into three classes

Thoroughbreds 2 44 Thoroughbreds Arabs 1 O 2

Anglo - Arabs 2 33 L Southern H alf- b re ds i 2 0 0 N ormans and Vendeans

’r N o t Qu alified Tro tters 30 7 English Hackneys 1 2 0

English Hackneys — Cross - bred 7 4 Percherons 30 1 B 'ou lonnais 7 1 D raught Ardennes 98 B retons 66

Comparing the n u mbers of stallions o f variou s breed s

I n 1 8 1 0 99 with those owned by the Republic in 9 5 , some interesting and suggestive facts appear . There is a decreas e

o f u s in the number Thoroughbred sires , as the following fig re show 1 899 1 905 D ECREASE Thoro u ghbreds 2 6 2 2 44 1 8 Arabs 1 O 5 1 0 2 3

Anglo - Arabs 2 6 0 2 33 2 7

N ow let u s see ho w other light breeds stand 1 899 1 905 INCREA SE N ormans and Vendean stallions 6 7 Qu alified Trotters 2 6 1 30 7 4 6 English H ackneys 7 1 1 20 4 9

H ackneys — C ross - bred 4

r s e e C o s b tw en E ngli s h Th o ro u ghb re d and Arab .

" 1 S o u the rn (da Mi di ) h o rses are b re d i n th e Tarbe s di st rict and h av e s ro n s ra n o fAra a t g t i b blo o d . 1 C e rtifi ed t o hav e t ro tt ed o ne kil o m e t re ( ab o u t 5 fu rl o ngs ) i n r n rad e d u r ne 1 mi nu t e 4 0 se co nd s . The se ho se s h ave bee g p f o m H ack y s re i s which were i m po rt ed fro m E ngtand fo rty o r fifty y e ars ago . C ro ss be twe en E ngli sh H ack ne ys and H u nt er m ares impo rte d fro m n n E gl a d .

2 4 The breed of which the French Government has most

u to largely increased its n mber of stallions , having regard

n . proportional strength , is the English H ack ey From the table showing ho w the stallions are distributed

2 2 S u among these t ds , we may select two important examples the stud at Tarbes , in the Pyrenean region , where light horses are chiefly bred , and Le Pin , in N ormandy , where heavier

u o f saddle horses , carriage and light dra ght , and a proportion heavy dra u ght horses are prod u ced .

1 0 At Tarbes , in 9 5 , the horses available for distribution

— Thorou hbreds among covering stations were g English , 39 ;

- - A 2 1 2 . H al B reds " u rabs , 9 ; Anglo Arabs , 55 ; total , 3 f So thern

1 8 2 horses , 5 N ormans and Vendeans , ; English Hackneys ,

- 6 1 . total , I n all , one hundred and eighty four stallions .

Pi n w fo r u At Le , the following ere available distrib tion

H al - B reds " Tho ro u hbreds 1 . g English , 7 f N ormans and

1 0 1 u 6 2 Vendeans , ; Q alified Trotters , ; English Hackneys ,

D rau ht i res u 1 1 8 0 . S " 7 ; total , g Percherons , 7 7 ; Bo lonnais , 3 ;

- 8 0 . . total , I n all , two hundred and seventy seven stallions

u S t . L O The largest st d in F rance is that at , in N or

2 1 0 b u t mandy , whence 4 3 stallions were distributed in 9 5 ; it is less representative than the two Of which details have been

1 n i given , consisting of 3 7 N orman and Vendean stallio s , W th

2 u 7 4 Qualified Trotters and 3 English Thoro ghbreds .

u u o ne To f rther ill strate the system , let us take small

— covering station , to which there are hundreds similar that

é . S at Lesparre , in the M doc The stallions which tood for three months d u ring the season 1 90 4 at Lesparre were as follo ws " FE E

— n l i sh Th r u hb r 8 s . I . C O THURNE E g o o g ed by Farfad e t C o thu rni a

- — VE Z An l A ab 5 . 2 . O O g o r E dhen E l e ctricity 5

’ - — AMB E s A E An lo Arab Fi l n a r o hé tte 5 . 3. J D RG NT g e Qu t e J 5 " - / t — . UF al re r t r 1 s 4 O H f b d T o te Fre d A rch e r Alum e tte 6 .

“’ - — O al b red N o ruzan F lab e ll V ra o s . 5 . LIERN LLE S H f i g 5

l - m — V 6 TELL Ha f b red F ro nd e amb a 5 S .

N al - r r al — re n B b ed o 5 . 7 . U SY ARITE H f P tug F i 5

i t All th e se H alf- bre d Tro tt e rs and H alf- b red N o rm an s t alli o ns h av e H ack ne y bl o o d i n th e i r v ei ns

2 5 This table of fees brings o u t ano ther s u ggestive fact - I n

1 8 1 d . 99 the highest fee was 6 5 . 8 charged for the service o f

u u Thoro ghbred mares by the Thoro ghbred stallion M ontbran .

1 0 8 s . o r u I n 9 5 , , less than half, is the fee set pon the servi ce of the only English Thorou ghbred ; b u t the Half- bred Trotter

co m m ands a o f 6 5 i n 0 1 . 1 1 8 sire fee 9 5 , whereas in 99 service

- u 5 . d . by Half breds co l d be had at 5 and 8s . 4 These changes Show u s very clearly what blood is most in demand among the

‘ shrewd French horse - breeders who seek to produ ce horses that will sell .

Lesparre is in a district in which horse - breeding is by no means a prominent ind u stry — i t is one o f the Chief vine growing regions o f France ; the celebrated Vineyard Chatea u L afi te is only seven miles distant from Lesparre — yet the o Of t wner a mare may choose from seven stallions , represen ing

fi v e f fi di ferent strains , paying the small fees speci ed above . The su pply of stallions i s adj u sted to meet the local deman d ; the foregoing list shows u s that experience has ta u ght the

S t u d a u thorities to make provision for service by H alf- breds o ffive times as many mares as are sent to the Thoro u ghbred

- o r Anglo Arab .

There is no heavy dra u ght stallion at Lesparre ; the reason is to be fo u nd in the fact that oxen are very generally

u used for cart and plo gh in this district , and heavy draught

u F i ni stere horses therefore are not bred . I f we t rn to the

D epartment of Brittany , where post horses are bred , we shall find the same principle in operation ; there stand stallions “ ” O fa stamp calc u lated t o get the st u rdy blocky horses for w which the district is noted , an d hich have been graded up from impor ted Hackney sires .

1 0 I n France , during the year 9 4 , there were s tallions belonging to the State i n actual work ; these covered

u o f mares . Looking more Closely into the ret rns s u ervice , we find that in the Thoro ghbred class ( English ,

- 8 Arab , and Anglo Arab) , 5 3 stallions performed

u - services , or abo t 44 each ; the H alf bred class ,

2 6

e 2 u o r services , or n arly 5 each ; and the Dra ght sires , over 7 9 each . The stallions at each local covering station are changed

freq u ently .

An excellent representative of the stamp of horse produ ced by j u diciou s crossing is shown in the engraving . This is the

z - portrait of Rad iwill , an Anglo N orman stallion , descended

u z thro gh his sire from the N orfolk Phenomenon . Rad iwill ,

i 1 0 0 ears o ld when this portrait was taken in 9 , was five y ; he is a Chestn u t stan ding a shade under and is the mode

- o f the high class carriage horse . He was shown with his

u sire J vigny at the I nternational Show at Paris , and the resemblance between father and son was a striking object lesson in the su ccess with which j u diciou s mating can produce

’ Radz i wi ll s animals tru e to type . dam was a small Anglo

o f N orman mare , but coming a breed normally big , her foal proved tru e to his breeding and furnished into a truly grand

- harness horse . B esides the stallions belonging to the State , there

u is a large n mber in the hands of private owners . Any stallion whose services are available to the p u blic must be licensed by Government as belonging to o ne o f three classes

“ 1 l ( ) Approved stal ions , which are considered good

u su eno gh to improve the breed of horses . These are b divided into t wo classes " Sires which earn over 1 0 0 francs 4 ) per service form the first class ; these receive no bou nty from the State the second class consists of sires fo r whose service 1 0 0 francs or less is Charged by the owner ; these receive an a u u o f 1 2 8 0 1 0 nn al premi m from { to £ a year . I n 9 4 there

v i z were Approved Stallions ,

u - 0 6 Thoro ghbreds , Arabs and Anglo Arabs 3 N o t Thoroughbreds 45 8 Dra u ght 7 1 5

2 7 “ 2 u v ( ) A thorised stallions , which recei e no premium , but whose progeny are eligible to compete at shows su bsidised by the State . They were

- Thoroughbreds , Arabs and Anglo Arabs N ot Thoroughbreds Draught

2 5 3

“ to ( 3) Accepted stallions , which have nothing recommend them but a certificate o f freedom from roaring

o thalm i a 1 0 and intermittent p . I n 9 4 , stallions were accepted by the committees charged with the duty o f examination .

“ During the year 1 90 4 the Approved stallions

’ u performed services , and the A thorised stallions

1 N o record is kept of the coverings by the third class , “ the Accepted stallions .

There is only one Government st u d farm . This is at

u . Pompado r , where sixty mares are kept

u - English Thoro ghbred , Arab and Anglo Arab horses only are bred at Pompadour , and the farm is only a small factor in

o f i s ' the general scheme bre eding . I mprovement sought

u principally thro gh the provision of good stallions .

- Bounties are also given for brood mares , filly foals , and

z - as pri es for horse breaking at pu blic competitions . These measures encourage owners to retain possession o f the best

- fo r u breeding stock the benefit of the nation , and stim late endeavou r among the people to achieve skill as horse masters . In every breeding district in France shows are held at z which the young stock are exhibited and are awarded pri es .

' The two - year - olds are led and the three - year - Olds are shown

u mo nted .

The j u dges are officials connected with the neighbouring st u ds and o ne o r two representatives of the head office o f

H aras State in Paris .

2 8

H O R SE —B R E E D I N G I N G E R M A N Y

Pr u ssia stands pre - eminent among the German States as

- u the horse breeding region ; in fact , all the G overnment st ds an d farms are sit u ated in Pru ssia .

' The stallions for p u blic serv i ce belonging to the State n u mbered in the year 1 90 4 ; this shows a marked in crease o n the strength of the st u ds d u ring the last ten or

1 8 8 u eleven years . I n 4 , the State stallions n mbered in 1 8 96 the total n u mber was abo u t These

” 1 8 u stallions are distributed among Rural St ds , which , in

u u 1 6 their t rn , s pply covering stations , an increase of 4

- Since 1 8 96 7 . The stallions in 1 90 4 were classed as follows

Ri di n - H ors s 8 0 1 C lass l . L i ht e 0 0 g g , 3 ( including English

- u 1 2 . Thoro ghbreds , Arabs and Anglo Arabs)

H eav Ri di n or L i ht D rau ht- H orses Class I I . y g g g ,

. H eav D rau ht H o rses 0 Class I I I y g , 7 4 ( including B S Percherons , elgian and Ardennes horses ; hires and

- Clydesdales ; French and N orman , an d German Farm horses .

u 1 8 6 - Comparing these fig res with those of 9 7 , given in the former edition of this book , it appears that the German

- Stud masters , like the French , have of recent years learned

- u n u . 1 8 6 to depend less po the English Thoro ghbred I n 9 7 ,

f - . o 1 o r Class I consisted 4 9 light riding horses , of which 94 ,

- u u less than one fo rth , were Thoroughbreds ; the fig res kindly fu rnishe d me by the Inspector - General o f St u ds at Berlin Show that in 1 90 4 Thorou ghbred horses formed less than

- o ne eighth o f the total . The principal obj ect o f the Pr u ssian Government Stud

u Department is to provide Remo nts for the Army . Of the

u u 1 0 u Remo nts s pplied in 9 4 , abo t were for cavalry ;

u a nd o f these only 6 0 0 were got by Thoro ghbred sires .

30 The fee charged for the u s e o f a p u blic stallion is generally u nder £1 . Privately owned stallions m u st be approved by local committees (which also license b u lls and boars) before their

’

. u 1 0 services may be hired D ring the financial year of 9 4 ,

licences were applied for and were granted . The maj ority o fthese licences were for light riding o r light drau ght horses the remainder for farm and cart stallions .

Much is done to promote private enterprise . There is a special fund provided by the Government from which private

- horse breeding associations can obtain loans free Of interest .

Su u f ch loans m st be repaid within six years . At the end o

1 8 6 1 n 95 , associations had taken advantage of this fu d , the total lent being

Brood — mares may be p u rchased on very easy conditions from the Government Su pply D epé ts ; the principal stip u lation being that the b u yer shall have the mare covered by a good

- to u half bred stallion belonging an I mperial st d , and shall o ffer th e produce when three years Old to the Army b u yer

u as a Remo nt . I f, however , the owner wish to employ the produ ce for st u d p u rposes he is no t bound to pu t it on the

u Remo nt market . Pec u niary ind u cements are also offered to

- breeders to retain good brood mares and rear young stock .

F o r the convenience of breeders the War Office agents

u arrange markets at suitable times and places , where yo ng animals on sale as Remou nts for the Army may be inspected

u and bo ght no middlemen are employed .

Horses are p u rchased by the military b u yers at three

. u years old The average price paid is abo t £4 7 , but

' u u p rchasing officers are , or were a few years since , Instr cted

to deal liberally with the breeders . I am informed that it

' was the rule not t o try and b eat down the price asked for a horse if it were reasonable ; and giving a small breeder “ more than he demanded was not unknown if the animal

" appeared more val u able than the owner supposed it . The young horses thus p u rchased are kept at the Remount D epOts

31 fo r abou t fifteen month s and are then distrib u ted among

regiments . Before this distribution takes place , breeders may select any mares that promise to make particularly good

b - rood mares , paying a little more than the average price for

the animals so Chosen . Few , however, take advantage of

this privilege .

. B admi nton Ma az i ne M r Frederick Wrench , in the g of

1 8 u u December , 99 , describes the stallions in the R ral St d

a t . Celle , near H anover There were , at the time of his visit ,

2 0 5 horses in this establish ment , fourteen of which were

u - Thoro ghbred and all the rest Half bred H anoverian . Of “ " u t hese latter M r . Wrench says The reg lar Hanoverian

type i s a dark brown or chestn u t placid - looking harness

horse , standing at least with great limbs , a good

- o u t u look a fairly good back , and long eno gh to fill any harness These H anoverian horses trace their ancestry back to stock which was imported into Germany fifty or sixty

years ago by M r . H . R . Phillips .

The names o f both I rish and Yorkshire Half- bred horses still appear o n a few o f the pedigree cards fixed in each stall

o f 1 0 at Celle , where the number stallions in 9 5 had been

2 increased to 7 5 .

H ackney blood was widely diffu sed over the horse

u breeding districts of Germany , H anover , Oldenbo rg ,

u H olstein , Mecklenb rg , and East Friesland ; for , on ce

u to M r . Phillips had introd ced the Hackney his German

customers , sires and dams with the blood of Performer

’ (foaled 1 8 1 0 ) and Ram sdale s Phenomenon (foaled 1 8 35 ) were

eagerly bou ght u p to cross with the local stock . I t is exceed

i ngly probable that th e inter- trade in harness - horses between England and Germany dates back to a m u ch earlier period ;

the best of the German coach - horses and o u r own have so much o f the same character in common that they wou ld

seem to be descended frompractically the same stock .

“ ” I n addition to the 1 8 Ru ral St u ds referred to o n

'

0 are S - 0 page 3 , there si x tate breeding studs with about 7 4

32 z m ares and 30 stallions . Of these G radit and Trakehnen are the more important . The stallions bred at these e stablishments are sent to the R u ral St u ds if they c an fu lfil the standard of merit required by the committee which is assembled to examine them . Those that fail to satisfy the c ommittee are sold by public a u ction .

The largest of these st u ds is that at Trakehnen in East

Pru ssia . When M r . Wrench paid his visit to this estate ,

u the - which covers abo t acres , breeding stock comprised

u 1 2 - 0 0 4 Thoro ghbred and H alf bred stallions , with over 4 mares . The Trakehnen horse , as it may be called , for

u to it now breeds tr e type , is generally a long , low black

u 1 6 horse , abo t hands high , with the best of limbs and a “ u u bea tif l head , a trifle long in the back , according to English

b u t u o f ideas , a val able stamp horse , especially for harness

u p u rposes . The extreme q ietness and docility of these

Trakehnen horses , young and old , evoked comment from

M r . Wrench .

By the distrib u tion of ill u strated pamphlets the German Government endeavou rs to instr u ct breeders in the best

o f methods managing stock , and also concerning the stamps o f horse requ ired for the Army . A typical Artillery and

- - fo r heavy weight saddle horse is described as follows , the gu idance of breeders

e at e ars to e e n u l - ro n to H ight 3 y , h ight wh f l g w ,

1 6 I . A s eed reed o m o f a o n and end u ran e are re u red as f ctivity , p , f cti c q i T i n th e artillery ho rse . h e b reast need no t b e so bro ad as I n t h e arti ll ery o rse Th e e o s o u ld no t b e to o s o r w e o n th e o er and h f tl ck h h t ; hil , th h , if t o o l o ng it b e nd s to o lo w and c au se s th e h e avy weight c arri ed to p ro d u ce u e A e n fatig o n a l o ng m arch . go o d back fo r th saddl e i s as e ce s sary i n th e c av al ry h o rse as a go o d sh o u ld e r fo r the c o llar ‘ i n th e artil lery ” h o rse .

“ The general requ irements in horses for the German Army are th u s detailed

1 m a o o d - e e ad ne - d S e set o n . 2 S ro n e a e ( ) ll , bl lik h , ck w ll ( ) t g w ll pl c e s b i o n s We l—ar ed r b s and o o d slo n s o u ders l g with g j i t . ( 3) l ch i g pi g h l . W el - o rm e d s ro n b a no t to o o n e - o u ed and - n ( 4) l f , t g ck , l g, w ll c pl high lyi g

d ne s . ro n ( S o s ree ro m d sease . 6 Ro u nd s o u nd o o s ki y 5 ) t g h ck , f f i ( ) , h f

with h ealthy fro gs . ( 7 ) S o u nd c o nstit u ti o n and go o d dige s ti o n ; and (8 )

Fre e e ner e a o n . , g tic cti

33 “ The mares whose portraits are here given are o f the

u Oldenbo rg breed . The province o f Oldenbou rg h as long

u - been famo s for coach horses . Oliver C romwell , when

o f - Protector , received as a gift a team coach horses from

u O u the D ke of ldenbo rg .

’ The net cost of Germany s horse - breeding establishment s

u abo t a year .

34

These C rown studs in H u ngary are cond u cted u pon a

Mez o he e s u very large scale . At yg there were pwards of 6 5 0

a t he f broodmares . Colonel H orv th , o ficer in charge of the

u latter st d , addressed to Professor Wrightson a letter of great

ho w u interest , which shows the Hungarians have s cceeded in

- e stablishing fixed breeds of saddle horses .

Th e race o f h o rse s i s th ro u gh o u t h alf - b red W e hav e h ad two s u d s o f al - b o o d Ara i an m ares s n e th e e ars 1 8 2 and 1 8 2 two t h f l b i c y 5 7 , s t u d s o fE ngli s h m are s ( Fu ri o sa and Ab u gre s s ) si nc e t h e y ears 1 8 4 1 and 1 8 2 a s o t e am o fN o ni us o b tai ne d ro m Fran e i n 1 8 1 tw o s ud s 4 ; l h f ily , f c 5 t . o f th e an e n o o d o fL i i e z a i s a m x u re o fS ani s and Ara an ci t bl pp , which i t p h bi lo o d s n e th e e ar 1 8 0 and la e we a e b e u n to o rm a s u d o f b , i c y 7 ; t ly h v g f t N o rfo lk b l o o d with s tal li o ns o fth at race and m are s o f differe nt i ndige no u s fam ili e s . Colonel H orvath proceeds to give the n u mbers o f the

n m ares of the several strains he has amed . At that time

the u 1 6 - 1 8 there were at st d he directed 3 half blood Arabs , 4

E 1 1 m u m L i i e z a 2 2 0 nglish , 3 ares of vario s strains fro pp ,

u o r - o f N oni s Anglo N orman mares , and 33 the N orfolk mares as the beginning of a st u d of this breed . The stallions u u u u - sed incl ded English Thoro ghbred , p re Arabs or half breds belonging to the families named . Colonel H orvath states that the principle kept in View in

u u breeding s itable stallions is very simple . I t is the grad al improvement o f a family by the introduction of nobler and

Of higher blood , while at the same time the type the family is

- retained . Where more blood is wanted fu ll blood horses are u sed according to the previou s breeding of the particular family .

u u i s The prod ce , when strong eno gh , served once more by a

Thoroughbred , and then the breeder resorts again to a Sire of

th e . original strain of the family I t is , in fact , a system of

- u se o f breeding from half bred stock , with the oc casional

Thorou ghbreds when there is a tendency to coarseness .

a u C olonel H orv th was asked this q estion , Do you hope to establish fixed or permanent half- bred races which may be bred truly i nter se P and the answer was " The families of

L i i ez a Scha a N onius , Majestosa ( pp blood) , Gidran and gy

' Ab u r s ( Arab blood) are already constant . Furiosa and g e s ( English Thoroughbred) and N orfolk breeds will require 1 0 or

” 1 2 years more of careful breeding . 6 3 . I shou ld explain that the N oni u s strain derives its name from a famou s sire of that name which was procu red from

u France in the year 1 8 1 5 . The original N oni s was got by an

English horse named O rion o u t of a mare of the Anglo - N orman breed ; which breed was largely b u ilt u p on N orfolk Trotter

n b lood . To what breed Orion belo ged I have not been able to discover ; the n ame does no t occu r in the lists of T horou ghbreds sent abroad which are printed in the General

St u d B ook . There were fe w more interesting stables at the Paris I nternational Show in September last than that of the Hu ngarian

u G overnment . The horses had been selected to ill strate the resu lts o f the cross - breeding system described ; an d these fu u rnished living proof of the so nd , practical wisdom which

u o u directs st d operati ns in H ngary . Among them were horses t he o f fi fteen - n u u very model what the sto e H nter sho ld be , and

- perfectly shaped carriage horses . The best were perhaps those o f N oni u s (N orfolk Trotter) and N orth Star (Thorou gh b red) strai n s .

o f u On the estate the Archd ke Albrecht , in Lower

u b u t H ngary , there are imported Clydesdales ; , with this

b u t exception , no other horses Thoroughbreds and N orfolk

Trotters were to be seen from B ritain . Reviewing all he

u u had seen d ring his ten weeks to r , Professor Wrightson “ u u says , The res lt of m ch observation was to show me that the best horses in H u ngary are descended from English stock . A n u mber o fthe stallions foaled every year at the Royal

u 2 0 0 u u studs and abo t yearlings , which are p rchased ann ally at

2 fl an average price o f 35 o ri ns are set apart and

o f reared with the View of u se as p u blic stallions . At the age three years these are inspected and classified ; about one - half

cu t the number are rejected as stallions and the best , to the

o f u 2 0 p roportion abo t per cent . , are kept for service in the “ u 2 . S u Royal st ds , and 5 per cent are old as Comm nal

” s tallions ; death accounts for the remaining four or fi v e per c ent . of the total . 37 The Comm u nal stallions are sold to the chiefs of the agric u lt u ral divisions known as Communes at prices varying

0 0 u . from £3 to £5 , payable in four ann al instal ments Each Commune u ndertakes to maintain its stallion at its own expense an d in a suitable manner , the proper discharge of its obligations being the care of one or two Government officials . The stallion is available for service within the limits o f the

u m Comm u ne at a maxim m fee of two flori s (four shillings) . I n one part of H u ngary the method o f service is similar to that in vogu e in this cou ntry ; in another it is u su al to turn out the stallion with the mares , which may not number more than

- eighty eight .

u Sho ld the horse not be kept in a proper manner , he is ,

the after repeated cautions , liable to be withdrawn from

u o f u Comm ne at the end the third year , and the Comm ne forfeits the instalments of the price paid . I f the stallion dies

- u or fails as a stock getter d ring the first three years , the authorities replace him by an o ther . At the end of the third

u n year he becomes the property of the Comm ne , which is the able to dispose o fhim as it pleases . M any Communes believe

u it advantageo s to change their stallion every three years , which they can do in accordance with the regulation that m akes him then their own property . The wisdom of this step

u u o fco rse depends pon circumstances .

The estimates for the Hungarian H orse - Breeding Depart ment for the year 1 8 97 amounted to H O R S E - B R E E D I N G I N A U S T R I A

I n the year 1 8 7 6 a Committee o f I nq u iry on H orse

B u the reeding was appointed by the A strian Government , and resu lt of its investigations w aS ' the division o fthe whole cou ntry i nto five districts , with the View of providing stallions suited t o the varying requirements of each . From Central Depots in each of these five districts over stallions are distribu ted

2 2 o ne among 5 stations , each station accommodating from to f ten stallions . There are no fewer than thirteen dif erent breeds o f u se horse in , and care is taken that each station shall receive a stallion or stallions suited to local requirements . I n fu lfilment o f the scheme s u ggested by this C o m m i ttee ood , g local breeds are retained pure , approved stallions o f each being used for public service ; in districts where the local breed have degenerated o r stand in need o f

u improvement , the stallions are caref lly chosen to raise the

u u f general standard . Th s Thoro ghbreds o English descent

“ but bred in the cou ntry are u s e d on strong mares to supply

u R S ff Remo nts . I n other districts oadster , Clydesdale , and u olk stallions are sent to be mated with mares o f a class to throw heavy artillery riding and draught horses .

u I n the mo ntainous regions , where small , active , and hardy

u u horses are req ired for draught and pack work , every endeavo r

Pi nz auer is made to keep the local breed p u re . The horses are highly spoken o ffor su ch work in hilly districts they are very s trong and hardy , and have good action the lighter class trot q u ite well enou gh to perform heavy carriage work over bad

u — ground . Their colour is pec liar white or light , splashed with dark spots .

1 8 u u u I n 9 7 the A strian State st d incl ded , among other

6 6 - stallions , 94 English Thoroughbreds , 7 English H alf breds ,

2 a nd 0 8 H ackneys .

39 Special ind u cements are held out to private breeder s

- z to keep brood mares , and pri es for mares and yo u ng stock ff are freely O ered . The regu lations concerning privately

owned stallions vary in various provinces Of Austria ; but , broadly , it may be said that private stallions are only

u u u enco raged if suitable for st d p rposes . Such horses are licensed ; the horse in some parts m u st be inspected once a

u mont h d ring the covering season . Anyone who uses an u n

o wn licensed stallion to cover mares other than his , whether for a fee or gratis o r knowingly allows a mare to be covered by an u nlicensed stallion ; o r suffers entire colts of one year

Old o r o f more to pasture with mares any age , is liable to a

u d . fine eq al to £8 6 5 . 8

I n addition to the fi ve Central D e pOts there are two State

- breeding studs . These are maintained for the p u rpose of prod u cing stallions for pu blic service ; one is at Radau t z and the other at Piber . At Rada u t z there are over a tho u sand

l u u 2 0 - anima s , incl ding abo t 5 brood mares . Pains are taken to keep all the you ng stock at Rada u t z in condition they are

u kept as m ch as possible in the open air , and are exercised

u u for at least three ho rs daily by mo nted drovers , who are assisted by dogs .

u u th e D ring the s mmer , from May to September , young

l o r o u horses are driven to the hi ls on to distant wild gr nd , and left to their own devi c es . At the age of three years the

u yo ng horses are taken in hand and broken , and those stallions which are considered su i table for service are got into condition and distrib u ted among the Central D epOts in their fou rth year .

- u There are , in addition to these two breeding st ds ,

u L i i ez a establishments at Kladr b and pp , where carriage

Kladru b er horses are bred . The horses are very large and

t showy animals , wi h great action ; they are descended from

S b u t u e panish and I talian stock , caref l mating for gen rations

z no w u has greatly increased their si e , which is often as m ch as 1 2 u the 7 hands inches . These horses are chiefly sed in

Royal carriages o u State occasions .

40 The L i ppi z i enne horses have marked character of thei r b own , having been obtained from Spanish , I talian , and Ara

- - stock , carefully crossed . They are long bodied , short legged

1 to horses , with good quarters , legs and feet , and stand from 5

- 1 6 . hands They make remarkably good carriage horses , being very handsome , hardy , and fast .

d 1 . d . The covering fees i nAustria range from 1 3. 8 . to 6s 8 for ordinary stallions ; in some very poor districts mares are

- covered by the State horses free of charge . H er horse breeding

Operations cost Austria a year .

4 1 H O R SE - B R E E DI N G I N I TA LY

F o r stud p u rposes the country is divided into seven d u 0 2 c ac co istricts , which incl de 4 overing stations , each m m o n d ating o e o r more stallions . Only eight o f these stations

u receive fo r or more sires , the large maj ority receiving one or

1 0 two . I n 9 3 there were 5 8 6 Government stallions distrib u ted among the covering stations this total comprised 7 1 English

1 - 0 Thoroughbreds , 5 5 Arabs , 3 Anglo Arabs , 4 4 H ackney and

- - an d u . u half breds , 4 3 heavy dra ght horses These fig res show that the strength of the Italian st u ds was the same as in

1 8 . u n 95 The n mber of Arabs had bee reduced , while the

u o f u - n mber dra ght horses had been increased .

o f u u i s c o n With the object ens ring niformity , it s i dere d advisable to keep the same stallions at o ne covering station as long as possible .

o f two u With the exception one or Thoro ghbreds , whose

u f s ervices are only req isitioned by wealthy owners . o racing s the u tock , service fees are low , tho gh h igher than in most

u I n 1 0 C ontinental co ntries . 9 3, mares were served by

0 1 G overnment horses at a fee o f 9s . 7 d . each ; 66 at £ each ;

0 1 1 2 2 s . s . 2 1 at 5 at £ s . ; 7 5 at £ 5 ; 39 at £3 4 ; £4 ; and

1 2 The u u n 2 9 at £ . War Department b ys Remo nts at 3 a d 4

o ld 2 fo r - - years , paying , on the average , £ 4 three year olds , and

2 - - £3 for fou r year olds . The horses so p u r c hased are sent to o ne u D e Ots u of the Remo nt p , and are iss ed to regiments when

u u u 4 3years old perfectly nbroken . Abo t yo ng horses

u a re ann u ally p u rchased by the Remo nt Committees . Stallions owned by private persons may be licensed fo r

o f p u blic service . The task examining horses and granting licences is entr u sted to local committees ; from time to time it has been fou nd necessary to remind these committees that greater care mu st be taken in passing stallions ; in 1 8 93 a Royal decree was issued directing that vice or defects o f

4 2

H O R S E - B R E E DI N G I N R U SS I A

I n no European country is more attention devoted to the breeding of horses than in R u ssia . The oldest I mperial stud

1 0 now in existence is that at Derkulski , established in 7 5 ; b u t u o f u , witho t reviewing the history the R ssian horse breeding department , it may be said that it has been an obj ect o f u u 0 solicit de to s ccessive sovereigns for the last 4 0 years .

u I van I I I . , who reigned d ring the last forty years of the

u u fifteenth cent ry , establish ed the first Government st d of which there is record near Moscow , and compelled all great

t - landed proprietors o establish breeding studs . The G overnment maintains about stallions at 1 5 studs and d epOts ; from these de pOts the horses are distributed

u among covering stations all over the co ntry , wherever horse breeding has pla c e among the local ind u stries . As in other

u u co ntries , the n mber of stallions at each covering station ' f varies in accordance with the needs O the district . They

u m b u t u i s u vary in n ber from two to nine , fo r the us al complement . In addition to these st u ds and depOts there are 2 9

u a o f no t other breeding establishments , partic l rs which are

n at prese t obtainable . The fees charged fo r service range from the equ ivalent o f

. 2 2 5 . 3s d . to £ 7 6d in ratio with the merits of the stallion

b u t selected ; each mare is allowed three leaps , if necessary , not more the covering season lasts from the 3rd February to

1 8 th u n fi v e J e . The stallions are put to service at years old , and in their first season are restricted to 4 0 mares ; when six

6 0 years old they are permitted to cover mares , and in very

b u t 0 . S exceptional cases as many as 9 tallions which are old ,

o f o n still capable service , are given away condition that the recipient u ses them fo r st u d work .

44 S 1 8 6 2 ince the year , shows for all horses bred in Russia have been held ann u ally ; abou t is given ann u ally

z d . 2 6 in pri es , and honorary awar s are also distributed The

u R T rf Societies in ussia receive among them a year ,

u to be given in stakes . H orse fairs are enco raged ; there are

6 0 o f u u w 4 these in vario s parts of the co ntry , at hich some

u horses change hands ann ally .

u 1 0 A memorand m supplied me in February , 9 5 , by the

h u Military Attac e at St . Petersb rg contains the most recent

u u information accessible concerning the R ssian st ds . The

u 1 8 8 u fig res refer to the year 9 . The Government st ds in

R u u n . ussia , it m st be nderstood , are really breedi g farms They are as follows

1 Khré no v o i o r Kreno v sk u V e ro ni ( ) The y st d , in the g

— a u Government , of four divisions ( ) English Thoro ghbreds ,

1 1 b 8 c u 5 head ; ( ) Trotters , 33 head ; ( ) H nters and Trotters , d 6 0 8 . head ; and ( ) D raught horses , 3 head This stud was

1 8 m u u f purchased in 45 fro the da ghter of Co nt Alexis Orlo f, the descendant of the noble who fou nded the famo u s breed of

- trotting horses known by his name . I t is also celebrated for the Ro sto phsc hi ne breed o f Trotters which was fo u nded by

u Ro sto hschi ne u o f Co nt p , a contemporary of the fo nder the

f Khr no v o i d e t Orlo f breed . é is a Stallion pO as well as a breeding stud .

( 2 ) The B i elo vo dsk st u d in the Kharkov Government .

u - ( 3) The N ovo Alexandrovsk st d , where half bred horses are produced ; the head of stock here in 1 8 8 9 was 44 5 head .

Streletz o r Streletz k i u (4 ) The st d , which consists of

— a - 0 8 b two divisions ( ) Riding horses , 4 head ; and ( ) Arabs ,

8 1 n head . The Streletz st u d has given its ame to a breed which differs only i n its superior si z e from the Eastern —bred

. Strele tz S Arab The horses , shown at Paris in eptember ,

1 0 0 t . 9 , were among the exhibi s that attracted most attention The obje c t of this establish me n t is the prod u ction o f j ight

- o f riding horses average height with an Eastern strain , chiefly

4 5 for improving the steppe horses and the breeds of So u th

Western R u ssia .

k u o n 1 ( 5 ) The Der lski stud , referred to page 4 as the

u o f Oldest i n R ssia , is devoted to the breeding Draught

2 - h horses ( 3 head in steppe and heavy cart orses . I t

— was formerly given u p to the breeding of carriage horses .

6 L i m arv e o o r L i m arev sk i u fo r - ( ) The st d , half bred riding - horses ; and

o r Yano v sk i u u ( 7 ) The Jarrow st d , where English Thoro gh

1 - - breds ( 8 7 head) an d half bred riding horses are bred .

u The total n mber of stallions , mares and foals at these seven st u ds in 1 8 8 9 was F o r more than a cent u ry the R u ssian Government and private owners have imported Thoro u ghbreds from England . The E nglish Thorou ghbred stallion Grey Di o m e d and four m ares formed the fou ndation stock o f the G o lo wk o wa st u d in

1 . O reli u s 7 94 Traveller and , son of Eclipse , were imported

1 1 8 1 0 u 1 8 1 2 in 7 99 , Doncaster in , Cerber s in , M emnon ,

f t f 1 2 . 1 8 o S . o 8 winner the Leger 5 , a few years later I n 33 a special mission was sent to England to buy stock ; the

B i i n u stallions rm gham , Middleton and Admiral were p rchased ,

u E xecu tri c e and n merous mares , among them Lalla Rookh , ,

Tweedle wi n s u u u g (by To chstone) , Metal (by G la c s) , and “ ” f u . . o Marchioness M r Kirby Y ork , says The D r id , began

u the 1 1 2 1 his b siness with Russians in 7 9 , when he was , and

6 0 repeated his visits till he reached the age of , taking with “ him the choicest blood of Yorkshire . The highest prices

z 1 8 2 - 1 8 M r . Kirby ever received from the C ar N icholas ( 5 5 5 )

u fo r G were g ineas Van Tromp , and for eneral

Chassé . The I mperial st u ds are directed with great j u dgment the u tmost care is exercised in the choice of forage all horses are

u exercised regularly every day , and yo ng horses when 33years

Old are tested for strength and staying - power according to

N u to their class and breeding . O mare is given p breeding until she is five years old and is fu lly developed .

46 Attached to each Government st u d farm is a school of

m t u i n horse anship , where breeders receive ins r ction the

o f u u . principles the ind stry , and where riding is ta ght At

Khré no v o i i s a special school where trainers , j ockeys , hunts men and coachmen are taught the best methods o f training

u yo ng horses .

i s u Private enterprise enco raged in every way , and very

many o fthe Ru ssian nobility maintain large breeding - st u ds on

. S i San u sz k o their estates At lawuta , Pr nce g has , or had ,

f - u o . a st d pure bred Eastern horses , which , M ons Salvi

observes , show to what a pitch of perfection the typical Arab

m a y be brought when wisely mated , well nourished , and “ u reared nder favourable conditions ; it has the height , bone ,

o f u and spirit an I rish horse, and yet is the Bedo in horse ,

preserving all its Eastern characteristics , but bigger and

” stronger . M any private owners devote their attention

- entirely to the Anglo Arab . At least one , however , makes a

- speciality of carriage horses , which he has succeeded in bringing

u u to a high standard , sing M ecklenb rg stallions upon Eastern

mares . The twelve regiments of H orse Guards and 8 th ( Reserve)

C avalry Brigade , are horsed from the I mperial studs , as the

- to steppe bred animals are not powerful enough carry the men .

Abou t horses are required annually for the Ru ssian

o f cavalry the line , and for information concerning these we do ’ cannot better than turn to Captain H . H ayes excellent * ” book . There are seven brigade stations to which the Remount officers send the young horses which they b u y from t he breeders these horses have run wild , or half wild , on the

u steppes until ca ght for sale , and their entire education is carried

Ou t by the regimental breakers . They cost on the average

1 s . h about £ 3 5 , but by the time t ey are fit to take their places

u in the ranks have cost abo t £37 each . Dragoon Remounts

u must not be less than in height , and are bo ght from the

* u A . Am n o rses n ssi a . B . H . . R ere o g H i R y C apt ai n M . HAYE S Ev tt

C o . Lo nd o n 1 0 0 . , , 9

4 7 ff age o f3 o to rising 5 . Cap tain H ayes says of a batch of 8 0 0 Remou nts which had been sent in by the bu yers a fe w days before

As the s e d rago o n R e m o u n t s ave rage ab o u t th e y are s o m e what s m a and t o n s e e s o u d ro b ab l a ear at rs s ra e r ll , E gli h y w l p y pp fi t ight th b u t C o se r ns e o n s o ws a e a e a a b o ne are light ; l I p cti h th t th y h v c pit l , u nd a e no su e rflu o u s um o m a a e r t o arr . T e are c p ctly b ilt , h v p l b c y h y , e r fe w e x e o ns e n re l ree ro m ar b o o d and o nse ue n l with v y c pti , ti y f f c t l , c q t y , e r o re - e s i n so m e ase s see m a b i t d e e n b e o th e ne e th e if th i f l g c fici t l w k , b a e nd o ns ru n m o re o r e s s ara e t o t he anno n o ne and w e fi nd ck t l p ll l c b , no o arse ne ss ab o u th e e o s i s e de n e o f na to s and c t f tl ck , which vi c i bility t o r u nde r th e sadd e T e se R u s s an R e m o u n s a e as a ru e o r w k l h i t h v , l , Sh t a s m u s u lar o ns o o d e e a rl s m a h e ad s and are e l r b ed b ck , c l i , g f t , f i y ll , w l i b u T e are ar u ar o o d a ro ss th e o ns i s a o i n a p h y p tic l ly g c l i , which p t th t e n o n ro m R us s an re e de rs o rm er th e o rse s f re ce iv e s m u ch att ti f i b . F ly h o th e D o n ro m i o u n r th e es R e m o u n s are o a ne d e re , f wh ch c t y b t t bt i , w ge nerally b ack at the k ne e s c alf- k ne ed — b u t thi s d e fe ct h as b ee n alm o s t e nti re ly e li m i nat e d by care fu l c ro ss i ng. Th e m e m b ers o f th e se e o n o m m e es ass o r re e th e an m als b ro u u th e l cti c itt , which p j ct i ght p by b u e rs o f R e m o u n s are s e a r a as re ard s th e u a i o f th e y t , p ci lly c itic l g q l ty

as e rn s O n th e o e e a e e r o o d o re - e s T e r s o u d e rs p t wh l , th y h v v y g f l g h i h l are n l ne d to b e s o r b u t e r o rs o n i s u nd o u e d e r o s i c i h t th i w t p i t bt ly th i h ck , i n m an ns an e s are e a to o m u b e n s e - o o e d o r which y i t c w k , ch t ( ickl h k ) n i ned to u rb T e se Re m o u n s e s e a l y o se o m e ro m th e i cl c h t , p ci l th which c f o u n r o f th e D o n a e a s ro n n u s o n o f Ara o o d a das o f c t y , h v t g i f i b bl , with h T e are essen a saddle - rse s re f r a r the Th o ro u ghb re d . h y ti lly h o b d o c v al y p u rpo se s ; th e R u ssi an ho rse s are reare d u nder co nditi o ns o f priv ati o n and ard o r to e t e r n and are o nse u en m o re u se u as h w k g th i livi g, c q tly f l s lave s and c am p aigne rs than the y appe ar to b e

With regard to Captain H ayes ’ reference to Arab and

u u o f Thoro ghbred blood , it m st be observed that four the fifteen I mperial stallion depOts are sit u ated in the horse breeding regions of the Don .

Kh ré no vo i (d i st rib u ti ng 1 0 0 st allio ns ) Tamb o v (6 0 ) Khark o v a nd S arat o v HO R S E - B R E E DI N G I N T U R KE Y

n f u u The O ttoma Govern ment possesses o r important st ds , all o fwhich are sit u ated in Asia Minor and are organised o n

u Mez o he e s lines similar to the great H ngarian establishments , yg ,

w u & c . Babolna , , and hich are nder the control of t he Minister fo r War .

Tc hi ftele r u u i n n o f B u The st d , sit ated the provi ce ro sse ,

o f was 1 8 2 on the sea Marmora , established in the year 3 ; the

o f lands , covering over acres , consist somewhat varied past u re and of vast prairies watered by three streams . After the Crimean War a thou sand mares were received at T c hi fteler from the English and French armies , and these , like the ani mals

u already at the farm , were allowed to range at liberty ntil the

1 8 8 6 u year , when nearly the whole stock perished thro gh

drou ght . In 1 8 8 6 three h u ndred H u ngarian mares of inferior and

u nsu itable strains were sent to this st u d these were kept u nder c b u t u over , the native mares and their produce contin ed to roam

u at large . As stable accommodation was b ilt , however , the

' l w ere h o u se d atter , as well as fifty brood mares which had

been p u rchased in Ru ssia .

1 8 2 u Since 9 Arab blood has been introd ced , and only since this step was taken the Tchifteler st u d has been able to fu rnish f a nn u ally over a h u ndred good and e ficient Remou nts . The

' w u u progress made has , ho ever , been contin o s , and this year the

nu total mber available for the Army will be three hundred . The Arab stud consists of 5 5 stallions o f p u re blood and

e leven half- bred stallions got by Arabs o u t of native mares ;

- 1 8 8 . there are ten pure Arab mares , and half bred mares

1 and si x In addition to these , there are 9 native stallions

h 1 0 0 1 u N ormans , w ich were bought in 9 , 3 H ngarian , and 1 1 Russian stallions . There were last year 6 6 0 brood mares

Of u and fillies , which 35 were Russian , 93 H ngarian and

- the remainder native bred .

f u i s The o ficer in Charge of the st d a Colonel , who has u nder him a military staff.

u S u So u 1 8 1 6 The second st d is that of ltan , between and

o f u miles from the town Malatia , in the province of Harpo t , in

. 6 0 0 the interior I t controls an area about miles square ,

u 2 which incl des 3 villages , having some inhabitants ; part Ofthis area is given u p to agricult u re and the remainder is

- devoted to horse breeding .

The S u ltan So u st u d was fou nded in 1 8 6 1 and was reorganised in 1 8 89 ; attached to it is another farm — that of

e— Osman Did where there are enormous hill pastures , to which the droves of horses are sent in summer . There are at

So u 1 2 u 6 1 Sultan p re Arab stallions , Kurdish and Hungarian

2 1 1 2 . Th e 7 pure Arab mares , Kurdish and Hungarians object of this establishment is the improvement o fthe Kurdish breed o fhorses " the n u mber of K u rdish brood mares will thi s year be increased to 2 0 0 ; how many mares of this strain are running at large in the district is unknown .

The Te ho u k o u ro v a stud owes its name to a once famou s

o f n w i s breed horses which is said to be o nearly extinct . I t

u u sit ated in the province of Adana , which is bo nded on the south by the Mediterranean , and consists of two vast estates , one

o r covering acres , about acres more than the county of Middlesex , and the other covering about acres . The larger estate consists of prairie land comparable to the pampas of South America ; the second , and less extensive ,

o n lies the shores of the Mediterranean , and along the mouth o fthe river Dj i han which flows into it .

1 2 This stud was established in 8 9 . There are now eight

u as p re Arab stallions , three Kurdish , and five horses described

’ 1 Anato li o tes , obviously after the province of Anatolia in

2 1 6 2 Western Asia M inor . There are pure Arab mares and of

h u k u r v a . the Te o o o breed . Many native horses also run at large

5 0

H O R SE - B R E E D I N G I N I N DI A

O PI N I ON S OF TH E L ATE VE TER IN AR Y COLON EL HALL EN

The first endeavours to improve the native breeds o fho rse s

u 1 were beg n by the East I ndia Company in the year 7 94 , “ and the S t u d Department then established contin u ed in

e 1 8 6 . u xistence until 7 , when it was abolished This instit tion had accomplished a certain meas u re of success ; some excellent

horses were bred there , and were drafted into the stables of o u r cavalry regiments b u t experience showed that the resu lts achieved were not commens u rate with the cost o f maintaining

t he u e 1 8 6 st ds , and in the y ar named ( 7 ) the Department

was abolished and the Army Remount and Horse - Breeding

Departments were created . The Department of Army Remou nts had for its duty the s election and p u rchase of Australian and Persian horses in the

o f n u - local markets , and also as ma y suitable co ntry breds as

u - might be proc rable . The Department of H orse Breeding O perations was organised with the object o f encou ragi ng

prod u ctions of s u itable cou nt ry - bred horses ; and it is to

this Department that we direct our attention . I n a remarkably able and instructive paper ”1 by the late

. . . the Veterinary Colonel J H B H allen , then General Super

i nte ndent - of H orse Breeding Operations in India , we find the

w . plan of the new sch eme clearly laid do n I t was , broadly

o f u speaking , to establish a native breed horses , which sho ld in course of time render the Army in I ndia independent of foreign f markets . The Government was to maintain a supply o stallions of the classes most suitable for improving the native breeds ; only selected native mares were to be eligible for

service (always gratis) by the Government stallions , these

Go vernment arse- B reedi n i ndi a " ast esent and u u Re n I r F t re. a H g P , P , ( d at a m ee n o fthe Un ed S er e I ns u o n o fI nd a 6 i h Ma ti g it vic tit ti i , y,

5 2 h mares being branded to prove t eir right to service , and also to preven t their purchase by native cavalry or police horse

z - buyers . A system of pri e giving at fairs and shows , with some slight advantages to the produce of branded mares , was instituted ; some assistance was to be given in teaching and encouraging the practice of castration among native breeders and all horses fit for Army service were to be purchased at m rem u nerative prices by Govern ent . The number of Remou nts required for horse and field a u rtillery , British an d native cavalry , amo nt , on the average ,

u o f to incl ding a reserve horses , each year .

F o r all reasons , both political and economical , it has always been held most desirable that I ndia should produce the

u horses necessary to mo nt both British and native cavalry , and to horse the artillery . Colonel Hallen gave a list o f thirteen

u breeds of I ndian horses (excl ding the Arab and Persian) , all o fwhich he described as possessing good powers o f end u r

blood b u t z ance , and showing thereby , generally wanting in si e ,

o f and many too small for the work the I ndian Army , consti t u te d as it no w is though some of purely local breeds can be

’ 7 found fit for native cavalry . I n another paper Colonel Hallen described these breeds with more exactness

‘ Th e m aj o rity o fco u nt ry - b re d m ares m ay b e s aid t o range i n he ight ro m 1 and s 2 n es to 1 and s 2 n e s and so me few are o u nd as f 3 h i ch 4 h i ch , f

as 1 and s and i n e ro m 6 to 8 s . T e are as a ru e high 5 h , w ight f cwt h y , l , re m ar a e - b re d ra e r i n arre no t e e n u t o e e r o en k bly w ll , th light b l , v ly p t g th , ft -o fan an u ar and ra e d a e aran e sma b u t s ee - e o ne o f o i nts g l gg pp c , with ll t l lik b j and l m b s and m easu r n ro m 6 to n e s u nder th e nee at th e to i , i g f 4 7 4 i ch k p T e a e o nd e r u o we rs o f e nd r n n o f th e sh ank b o ne . h y h v w f l p u a ce u de r e er ro a s u n ea o r n ense o d a e s a ro m 1 0 ith t pic l h t i t c l , with light w ight , y f ’ to 1 2 s o ne s i n s add e o r d rau and a er th e ardes da s o r t l light ght , ft h t y w k are ne er o ff e r e e d b u t a wa s read fo r m o re o e r e ll v th i f , l y y it ; v , th y wi

c o nti nu e d o i ng w o rk o n th e s canti es t o ffo o d .

Colonel H allen observed that these mares offer a grand

z — struct u re on which to engraft more power and si e that ,

u u . indeed , a more s itable basis to work on co ld not be desired I t may be observed that the officers in Charge of the I ndian

”‘ Ho rses requi red for the I ndi an Army " ( Re ad at a m e e ti ng o f the U n ed S er e I ns u o n o fI nd a 2 th Au u s it vic tit ti i , 5 g t ,

5 3 horse - breeding operations have peculiar diffic u lties to contend

' n against . The native disi clination to castrate had to be over come to prevent the excessive u se o f weedy sires ; in a cou ntry

u - i n whose fields are nfenced , and where horse stealing is (

u no t some regions) common , the natives co ld give their young stock the degree o fliberty necessary for their fu ll development .

o f o r The practice closely hobbling , even chaining and

fo re l le s was u the padlocking the g together , niversal , and

u u o f nat ral res lt was deformity limb , narrowness of Chest , and ruined action . I n recent years , however , castration has

u f o f been more favo rably regarded , and the beneficial e fects allowing larger liberty to young stock has been increasingly recognised .

To gain greater si z e and power the Government sanctioned

1 8 6 u 0 0 the in 7 the p rchase of 3 stallions , and , with an eye to

u lack of s bstance displayed by native mares , roadster blood

u 0 was largely introd ced . These 30 stallions were sanctioned merely as a beginning ; the n u mber was increased as the

‘ 1 new scheme developed. I n the year 8 8 6 the I ndian stud was composed of the following stalli o ns z — 9o English

1 1 6 Thoroughbreds , 5 9 Hackneys and N orfolk Trotters , 4

I O u - 6 u Arabs , st d bred horses , A stralian Thoroughbreds ,

2 1 Turkoman stallions and Persian . I n addition to these ,

u the pony stallions were provided in suitable districts , nder

u control of District C ommittees , to cover small and nbranded f r mares . Some branded o ficially approved) ma e s

1 8 86 1 0 0 r were on the registers in . I n the year 9 the numbe

o f stallions was returned at 384 .

For some few years after the new system was inaugu rated endeavours were made to buy full - grown horses for immediate

u was use as Remounts , but with little s ccess . A change

1 8 8 1 u o f 1 0 therefore made , and in the p rchase annually 5

2 — u horses aged 5 years and pwards was sanctioned . This plan gave satisfactory results , and it was extended , young horses being purchased in larger numbers and distributed among the

de Ots Ku rmal Ahm e dnu u r t rearing p , H apur, and gg , to be kep

54 u u u m 1 8 8 o ne a nd trained for ltimate iss e as Remo nts . Fro 9

u b u t thousand yo ng h orses have been purchased every year , when the n u mber was th u s increased it was fou nd necessary

u to take the animals at a much earlier age , and the minim m was , in the year mentioned , fixed at six months .

u t he u I t m st be added , in this connection , that q estion o f mou nting the native cavalry had in 1 8 8 9 reached an ac u te * stage .

’ C olonel H allen s description o f the stock got by the several i mported breeds of stallion is exceedingly instructive . I t will be borne in mind that his observations we re made after the new system had been twelve years in operation , and there had been , therefore , time to see what impression had been m ade on the native stock .

The animal go t by the English Thorou ghbred

i s as a ru e and s o m e i n to and o u nes o f a nd u ar e rs and , l , h p tli b ck , hi q t , arr a e o f e ad and a b u t i s o e n s a o i n r and b a ri b l c i g h t il , ft h ll w gi th ck , ight i n arre and ro m 0 to 8 0 e r e n . are e and d e e n i n b o ne o f b l , f 7 p c t l ggy fici t l m re o m m n am n T u li mb . Di se ase s o f egs are o c o o g h o ro ghb re d st o ck

- e. . urb o ne s a n b o s a n and r n b o ne are no t n re u e n g , c , b p vi , g p vi i g i f q tly F w o f s s o ro e fo r B r s a a r and ar o n . e d o ne Sh w thi t ck p v fit iti h c v l y , h ly m r fo r o rse o r e d ar l er b u t so e a e ur ase d fo r na e a a r . h fi l ti l y , p ch tiv c v l y M an na e re e d e rs are d i s ru s u o f s C ass o fs re as e fi nd e r y tiv b t tf l thi l i , th y th i s t o ck d o no t re ali s e a go o d p rice i n th e m ark e t .

o o t u Of the st ck g by A stralian sires , which are English Thorou ghbreds foaled and reared in the Colony

Th e y o u ng s t o ck o ft e n p ro ve b ett er- bo ned i n lim b th an th e s t o ck o f i m o r ed T o ro u re d s ro m n and b u t i n o e r o n s are m ar p t h ghb f E gl , th p i t Si il t o th e s t o ck o f th e E ngli sh Th o ro u ghb red s .

u u eri el T rning to the Report of C olonel Q p , the I nspector G eneral , ten years after the foregoing remarks were written , we find the complaint that English Thorou ghbreds of the stamp req u ired to get Remou nts grow scarcer and harder to “ B - o btain each recurring year . reeders aim at long legged ,

” s triding animals , which are exactly what India does not r u u eq ire ; and , though treated with the most j ealo s care , the English Thoro u ghbred is liable to develop u nsoundness in

9" O i ni ons o n the S u l o Remo unts to B ri ti sh and N ati ve C avalr a nd on p ppy f y, Ho rse- breedi ng i n I ndi a ; expressed at an I nformal Meeti ng held at S i mla o n

0 th Au ust 1 8 8 . 3 g , 9

55 S so hot and dry a Climate . pecific objection is made to thei r “ feet , which appear to be getting smaller and weaker every

. B elu chi stan the an year I n , which has driest climate of y

s region in which the D epartment conducts its work , the drynes

u and rock soil combine to r in their feet , which , Colonel “ u eri e l u Q p says , break away until there is absol tely nothing

. o f u left On the other hand , a better stamp A stralian Thoro u ghbred had been obtainable in small n u mbers ; seven imported d u ring the Official year 1 8 97 - 8 were between

6 8 2 an d in height , girthed from to 7 3 inches , and only f one had less than eight inches o bone below the knee .

’ 1 8 8 8 f Reverting to Colonel H allen s paper of , that o ficer said of the H ackneys and Trot ters

T e se a e o u n r —b re d m are s ro d u ed s o o f o o d o ne h h v , with c t y , p c t ck g b and o e r ro n su ab e and su f e n l e — re d fo r Arm o r I n p w , p vi g it l fici t y w ll b y w k

m a m n - n I nd a . I e o n a as a ru le m o s o f the e s o ned s o i th e i y ti th t , , t b t b t ck a e u d D e ar m n h - Th e e a ud l t St p t e t ad h alf b re d b l o o d i n the m . S p ci l St C o mm ss o ne rs o re s faCt i n m nd and ad se d th e e m o i n o f m o re i i b thi i , vi pl y g — ale m e o f a b re d s re s e se to b e o f u re b re e d s and s o n u al . S o h lf i , th p h wi g q ity th e a — re d s re s a h ad b ee n o r e d ro m n land e re i n th e h lf b i th t imp t f E g w , o n o n o f th e C o m m s s o ne rs o f no t s u f e n u ali b u t e o u nd pi i i i , fici t q ty , th y f e r ro d u e ro n e x e lle n f r r l u I u rse o no t o a er r o se s . o f o d th i p c p vi g c t ti l y p p , c , wi s h to Im ply th at e v e ry s t alli o n h as pro v e d a su cc ess ; b u t I d o m o s t d s n affi rm a at as r — i r a e u i ti ctly th t l e t 9c pe c e nt . o f the h alf b red S e s h v f lly ” reali se d th e e xp e ct ati o n s fo rm e d o fth em .

After referring to the prej u dice with which these horses were first regarded by men acc u stomed only to the Thoro u gh bred and Arab , Colonel Hallen said

Th e p ractical re s u lt s o f ho rse - b re edi ng that h ave o b t ai ne d and are

' o bt ai ni ng i n -I nd i a ; i nd icat e that su ch h o rse s (h o rs e s capabl e o f d o i ng go o d o r a n b lo c d o ne and o e r to e na e e m to arr and w k by h vi g , b , p w bl th c y d raw th e h eavy w e ight s o f B riti sh c aval ry and artill ery) c anno t b e pro d u ce d fro m th e pre se nt c o u nt ry - b red m are s b y m ating th em with Th o ro u ghb re d o r Ar f R em o u n s so re d ro e fo r ab st o ck ; th at v ery fe w pe r ce nt . o t b p v fit o se b ran e s o fth e se r e b u t we are h a n da d ay m o re ro o f th ch vic ; vi g, y by , p a th e ro d u e o f e se m are s b a - re d n s o rse s o r as e th t p c th y h lf b E gli h h ( , th y are no w a e d i n n and a ne s o f u re re e d i s e ad a e d fo r c ll E gl , H ck y ) p b , w ll pt ene ra arm o r i n I nd a u s nd a n a th e mo re s as s o fs re g l y w k i , th i ic ti g th t thi cl i

— th e well- bred half- bred— i s e m o e d a re a er an e b e a o rd ed o f pl y , g t ch c will ff “ s e u r n ar er- ram ed o un r - re d ro o d s o i n urn e ld c i g l g f c t y b b t ck , which t will yi e m f s m ro e d and s till l arge r fram ed and b o ne d p ro d u ce . Th are s o thi i p v de v e lo p e d sto ck m ay i n tim e b e co m e l arge e no ugh i n b ulk to all o w o fth e i r e n m a ed to Ara re s s o u ld b e de e m ed de s ra e to add m o re b i g t b Si , h it i bl u a and o m a ne s s i n o ne o w e rs o f endu ran e are th e q lity c p ct b with p c , which

el - n n r w l k o w ch a act eri s tic s o fthe t ru e Arab .

9" I n r n o f u re ree ds C o o ne a e n m e ans o se reed s h w iti g p b , l l H ll th b whic n h av e S t u d B o o k s i E ngl and .

5 6 Colonel Hallen added that when his employment in stud

B 2 6 work began in the ombay Presidency , years previously , he believed it right to use Thoroughbred and Arab stallions o n

- the co u ntry bred mares .

I a e no w to o n e s s a o n s n ree xe ars a o o ne o f th e h v c f th t vi iti g, th gci , es ree d n d i s r s i n the B o m a re s de n and attendi n an b t b i g t ict b y P i cy , g annua o rse o e d e re I o u nd th e s o re s u n ro m the u se o f l h Sh w h l th , f t ck lti g f e se s re s o u er and so m e i n to and re i n arr a e o f ead th i , th gh v y h p p tty c i g h and a am en a d e e n i n n n ne w f T D r o e a d s o m b . h e e o r t il , l t bly fici t b i li i ct o f th e Arm R em o u n D e ar men w as re sen the o e o f nd n y t p t t p t , with h p fi i g R e mo u n s b u t h e di d no t s u ee d i n see n o ne fo r th e B r s ser es t , cc i g fit iti h vic ; I be li e ve th at no t o ne co u nt ry - b re d Rem o u nt fo r the B riti s h se rvice s h as een s e u re d i n th e B o m a res d e n Ma I e re o re ask o u to b c b y P i cy y , th f , y rem e mbe r that Th o ro ughbre d and Arab s t alli o ns have b ro u ght abo u t thi s * W e s o u b e e o n r h - r f n an re s u . d I e re th e u e a b ed o d lt h l , li v , ly p lf E gl a r m re o n s a s i e to giv e o b ne and su b st a ce to o u r s t o ck .

Colonel H allen ceased to direct the horse - breeding opera

to tions of I ndia some fourteen years ago , and the opinions which his long experience had brought him not having been shared by his s u ccessors the Thorou ghbred policy has been

- resumed . The Report for 1 8 97 8 says that some 6 0 horse s got by English Thoro u ghbreds (or about one fo r each stallion ")

u u were iss ed as Remo nts to B ritish cavalry .

A c u riou s commentary on the relative merits of the produce got by the different breeds o f stallion in u se i s fu rnished by the officials of the Department themselves . I am indebted to Colonel B idd u lph for a copy o f the Fig u re s

” of Merit showing The Percentage o fPri z es “I o n by Each

C lass According to the N u mber of Stallions Employed .

f 1 8 86 - 1 8 2 w These figures cover the si x o ficial years , 9 , and sho “ the stock by H alf- B red English or H ackney sires easily

first , the Australian stallions taking second place , and the

u English T hro u ghb re ds third . Figures relating to s bsequent

u years , I am informed , Show the Thoro ghbreds imported from

u A stralia in the first place .

d the I t may be Observe that the original scheme , in

u . opinion of some good a thorities , never had a fair chance

e Apart from the absence of continuity of method , which alon

u u wo ld most serio sly retard progress in the desired direction ,

“9 K no wn i n E ngland as the H ack ne y bre e d"

5 7 i t was considered that the main purpose of the scheme was subverted at the outset .

The infinitely more important branch , the H orse

u B reeding Department , with its larger aims , was s bordinated

R u to the emount Department , whose p rpose was the i mmediate provision Of horses for the Army ; and as a nat u ral

u o o f u res lt , the bj ects the latter become paramo nt . The Remou nt agents and committees made it their business to b u y as cheaply as they could ; it was their duty to do so ; b u t this policy o f cheapening a commodity it was particularly desired t o u improve was , on the face of it , a fatal mistake it disco raged f n ative breeders instead o en couraging them .

0 1 8 8 At the meeting held at Simla on August 3 , 9 , to

o n o f which reference has been made page 5 5 , the Director Land Records for the Pu nj au b said th at the method o f pu r c hasing horses p u rsu ed by the I ndian Governmen t had a bad e ffect ; that native owners of good large mares fit to produce

u u u Remo nts had beg n to sell these animals , and were p rchasing pony mares to produce ponies and m u les . We have seen on what very different lines the German Government goes to work .

O u r national love o f sport makes its effect felt in India as

ff no t o ne . i t does in England , and the e ect is a good There is in I ndia always a ready market and a high price awaiting the

’ animal su itable for racing or for polo ; and th u s the breeder s a u mbition is to prod ce such a horse or pony , and to ignore the a nimal suitable for military u se . Opinions are divided con c erning the e ffect the temptation to produce a racing or polo pony has u pon horse - breeding as an industry in N orthern I ndia ; b u t s u ch a u thorities as Colonel H allen and General

u Luck regard it as a factor which m st be reckoned with . f I n this connection , one great di ficulty that makes for failure of the most wisely directed endeavour must be borne in m ind . The three hundred stallions employed by the I ndian

u Government are scattered over thinly pop lated regions , and i n Charge of natives ; and it seems to be generally admitted

5 8

b such as Arabia , Persia , and N orthern I ndia , as described y

Colonel H allen , we find the native races small , wiry and active

and , again , in cold regions we find the smallest and most

st u nted horses . f Only within certain limits , to be ascertained by years o

m can - costly experi ent , we hope by cross breeding to override the nat u ral laws which determine the si z e of the horse of any

o u u n u u c ntry witho t materially impairi g its val able q alities , if

c an c . we su ceed in doing so at all I n I ndia , the old Stud

D fo r u epartment , vario s reasons , failed to establish an improved breed o fhorses in the eighty years of its existence ; it would be

u nreasonable to expect that the reorganised Horse - B reeding Department should have accomplished the task d u ring the

twenty and o dd years it has been at work .

O N N - A RA I R H N I VA . . I I O S OF M OR G N L S O TSON K C . B P J E E j ,

u General Sir J ohn Watson , who has been good eno gh to

u o n read the foregoing pages , favo rs me with his views the

u o f - u s bject H orse Breeding in I ndia . As the o tcome of long

’ u Si r k experience in that co ntry , J ohn s remar s carry great

weight .

o o u t o ld B u H e p ints that the engal st ds , which were

i n 1 8 6 abolished 7 , supplied both cavalry and artillery with a

- remarkably fine class o f stud bred Remou nt fo r many years . De t erioration and infertility followed u pon the contin u ed use o f ff English sires o fdi erent Classes . “ ” The Diffu sed S ystem was then introd u ced . As

S was described in the preceding pages , the gist of this cheme the distribu tion over the horse breeding areas o fN o rthern I ndia o f u u a large n mber of English Thoro ghbred , H ackney and Arab

u u . S tallions , which give grat ito s service to approved mares Sir J ohn Watson is entirely at variance with the authorities

o f who adopted this Diffused System . The operations the

- he H orse Breeding Department as now constituted are , points

6 0 " out , supervised by the Inspector General of the Civil

u z e Veterinary Department , assisted by abo t a do en vet rinary

u surgeons who have various other d ties to perform , in taking

u meas res for prevention of cattle disease , in directing veterinary

u ed cation , including colleges for natives who are being trained

& c . & c . in bacteriological research , ,

The multipli city of their d u ties permits the officers of the Department to devote only a very limited degree of su pervision

u to the work of the stallions ; and , f rther , the veterinary su rgeons employed have never studied breeding as a scienc e .

’ There is also the fact that after a few y ears service in the Department they revert to their d u ties with the Army whereby no contin u ou s syste m o fs u pervision is possible .

’ Si r . The gravest objection , however , in J ohn Watson s

” fu S opinion , to the Di f sed ystem is that it treats the thirteen

ff o f o ne di erent I ndian breeds horse as , all mares being classed as country - bred mares ; it provides no means nor machinery whereby the result o f u sing any given stallion on any given

no w mare can be ascertained . Th ere does not exist in I ndia even an experimental st u d in which the results of different crosses can be observed . The Return s , in a word , take

u t acco nt only of the s allions , and pay no attention whatever to the mares .

N o attempt has been made to preserve these breeds in their pu rity mares of each and all are covered indiscriminately by English sires of different Classes and by Arabs o f greater

‘ u o f b lo o d u or less p rity . Sir J ohn observes that nder these circumstances it is no t wonderfu l that w ide divergence of

o f re opinion c oncerning the relative merits Thoroughb d ,

“ o f H ackney and Arab should exist . I f nothing is known

ho w the breeding or quality of a Remount dam , is it possible to ascribe good o r evil to the sire alone 9 This being the “ u u case , he dismisses the Fig res of Merit q oted on page 5 7

u as val eless . Sir J ohn Watson says he is not aware that the" main u u p rpose of the scheme was subverted at the o tset , as stated ,

6 1 u o n the t , 8 ; p l authority of ano her expert on page 5 or that the

H orse - Breeding Department was subordinate to the Army

u " has Remo nt Department this , he says , certainly not been the case for many years . N either does he understand that any attempt has been made to combine the two , as stated on “ u u page 59 . The Army Remo nt Department p rchase what they find at the market ; the Civil Veterinary Department endeavours to su pply that market ; but it has a free hand to do it in its own way .

’ I n Sir J ohn s opinion o u r endeavou r to create an Anglo I ndian type o f horse capable of reprodu cing itself can never

u u s cceed ; the endeavo r h as been persevered in for a century , “ fo r has failed , and will fail ; we are fighting against nature ,

u and nat re will beat us in t he long ru n . This is simply a more pointed way o fsaying what I have asserted as a general “ principle o n page 5 9 that Climate and the prevailing normal con ditions o f life are paramou nt in determining what the si z e and character o f the horse o f any given cou ntry Shall

” i r . S be J ohn Watson , if I understand him rightly , is opposed to the importation of English stock altogether , as he asserts that English and Asiatic blood will never mingle with ' advantage .

H olding these views , he is firm in the belief that the present system o fI ndian horse - breeding is radically wrong and

u doomed to fail re .

6 2 T H E H O R S E - B R E E DI N G CO M M I S S I O N O F 1 90 0 - 1

1 0 0 U I n October , 9 , a C ommission met at mballa to

f - B enquire into the question o Indian H orse reeding. The

u D e OtS members Visited at the Remo nt p , the Government

H e ssar farm at , and toured th rough the principal horse

u s breeding districts ; they inspected over horses , m le

and and donkeys , including nearly all the State stallions many

m u branded ares , and they took evidence from n merous civil

f c u and military o fi ers , native Chiefs and E ropean and native

breeders and dealers .

I n their exceedingly interesting and instructive report , the Commissioners pointed o u t all the Shortcomings of the Diffu sed System to which reference has been made in the

foregoing pages , and indicated others not less important . They stated that the method of distribu ting stallions was open

to obj ection , inasmuch as horses were kept standing in districts

- i where there is little horse breeding or none , wh le in districts where horses are bred there was grave lack of stallions ; that i mported stallions were practically forced u pon the nativ e

breeders in regions where strong and , as the Commissioners

- u u se admit , well fo nded Obj ections existed to their ; that the

u Thoroughbred stallions , English and Australian , are sed without care being u sed to ascertain w hether they nick well

o f with the mares any given district ; and that , in a word , the

ffu Di sed System was a costly failure . h The Commissioners , after reviewing the w ole matter at Of considerable length , arrive at the conclusion that want

u fo r s pervision and method chiefly accounts this failure , an d o ffer recommendations for the reorganisation of the whole “ i system , with a V ew to establishing a breed of I ndian horses ” duly registered and branded . I t must he confessed that the recommendations of the Commissioners were not what the evidence they collected

6 3 a ltogether leads the reader to expect . They refer to the f increasing di ficulty of procuring suitable Thoroughbred horses , and to the defects and the great expense of the stock got by Thorou ghbreds but they recommend the u se o fThorou ghbred

u o f stallions to be contin ed in the proportion six in ten , the remaining fou r to be Arabs .

n The most importa t point that invites attention , however , is this " in certain States of India there exists breeds of horses

u which are p re , which the natives strive to maintain pure ,

rs an d are , in the j udgment of th e Commissione , well worth “ u " preserving in their p rity . Th ey say The Kathiawari ,

u Unm o o l u M arwari , Bal chi and breeds are p re , and may be u sed as safely an d hopefu lly as Arabs .

i n The Commissioners , the body of their report , urge that

the peoples of Kathiawar , Marwar , Baluchistan , and the

N h Pu n au b u u ort ern j sho ld be enco raged to breed horses , and that the I ndian Government shou ld p u rchase the best stallions

f u u . u o these breeds for st d p rposes And here , as I vent re to

n t he think , they i dicate line of policy which the I ndian

—h — G overnment shou ld adopt . The mistake one mistake has

o u t been , as Sir J ohn Watson points , the system of treating ff e all the di erent I ndian br eds of horse as one , ignoring the

no w fact which the Commissioners emphasise , that there is

o u r ha o f u excellent material to nd in certain parts the co ntry ,

a if only we u se i t in the right W y.

B nm o o l These Kathiawari , Marwari , aluchi and U breeds o f u u fer so rces of s pply which , all the best authorities are

u u u agreed , wo ld f rnish the mo nted arms in India with horses

o f u u the kind req ired , and that as N at re designed them ,

u o f witho t the admixture Thoroughbred blood , which has

u proved , during recent years at all events , of very doubtf l

advantage .

The su ggested pu rchase of yo u ng stock from native breeders and their maintenance on large tracts of G overnment land u ntil o f an age to be iss u ed as Remou nts has m u ch to

recommend it .

64 u m u o f The point I wo ld ake , after this brief s mmary the

’ o u t as C ommissioners Report , is that the facts set to native breeds fu rnish sound reasons against the recommendation to

u f reorganise the Government St ds . Economy and e ficiency

u alike point to the wisdom of t rning over a new leaf altogether , and discarding the u se of alien sires other than Arabs of the

u u best breed . The price of every remo nt p rchased is

o r 1 6 b Rs . [ £ 35] for stallion power alone ( paragraph 3 ) , and the n u mber o f animals proving fit for issue as Remo u nts being so small by comparison with the numbers bred . I t is diffic u lt to escape the conviction that in this Report we find ourselves faced once again by the u nreasoning prej u dice in favour of the Thoroughbred . Otherwise it seems impossible to explain the recommendation that the use o f

u Thoro ghbred stallions should be persevered with , while there exist , over large areas in I ndia , breeds of h orses in every way

fitted fo r military purposes .