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to Quetta is opened and the distance is less, I have no doubt that a further
reduction might be made. It will therefore be seen that the cost of transit for
regiments at Multan and the Frontier would not be greater, if as much, as it
is from, say Rawal Pindi, where these regiments buy.
372. Hitherto I have only dealt with the Northern horse trade, but we
must not lose sight of the fact that we have also to deal with the important ques-
tion of the indigenous stock bred in Quetta-Pishin districts. As the quality of
this class of stock can best be judged by the number available for British Caval-
ry, it is pleasing to note that the Remount Agent, Captain Birdwood, was able to
buy 27 head of young stock as against 12 last year. These were excellent,
showing both quality and bone, and were well grown for their ages.
373. Amongst the batch bought by the 5th Bombay Cavalry were eight
very nice remounts, all of which were bred in Quetta-Pishin. This is encour-
aging, as it proves that the breeders are beginning to keep their young stock
until such an age as they can be bought by Native Cavalry.
374. The brood mares, of which 64 competed, were very good ; and the
young stock exhibited, although fewer in number than last year,were, generally
speaking, excellent, and showed breeding combined with bone and substance.
375. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, in his report on
this Horse Show, states:—
"Most of the prize winners were the produce of Norfolk trotter stallions owing to the fact that the
majority of the mares in the Quetta districts have been covered by these horses, but the produce of a thorough-
bred English horse out of a good mare invariably beat all others."
376. In last year's Annual Administration Report I quoted Colonel Gais-
ford's opinion on this point, and stated that I agreed with him in saying that
more thoroughbred-blood is required, and in fact that none but big-boned
thoroughbreds and powerful high caste Arabs should be employed in Baluchis-
tan. To carry this into effect, I have allotted the following stallions to Balu-
chistan:—
3 Thoroughbred English.
2 Thoroughbred Australians.
2 Arabs.
2 Smaller Arabs to cover small mares.
All these horses are really good ones and they should do a great amount of
good.
377. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Bombay, has col-
lected some useful information with reference to the so called Northern horse, of
which the following is a précis. As bearing on the suitablity of horses of this
breed for army purposes, it is deemed worthy of a place in the Annual Adminis-
tration Report of this Department.
378. The diversity of opinion expressed by different regiments is due to the
fact that there are many different breeds, all of which are called Northern
horses. It would therefore be well to classify these under their various breeds,
which may be said to consist of Cabulis, Khorasans, Turkomans, and country-
breds.
1st.— Cabulis—These are mainly obtained from the country between
Herat and Cabul, and Cabul and Kandahar. They are coarse,
common, and underbred, with short thick necks, the worst of
shoulders, and are physically incapable of gallopping any dis-
tance ; often grey in color, and seldom over 14-2. These animals
are usually used for pack work, for which, from their conform-
ation, they are eminently suited. These are disliked by Native
Cavalry, and the Managers of the various Tramways avoid them,
as experience has proved that they are unsuitable for the
work.
2nd.—Khorasans.—These are mainly bred in Khorasan, in the country
extending as far north as Meshed. The best are obtainable on
the Karaghan plains between Teheran and Ispahan; this is a