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we have a horse capable of standing fatigue and great heat, one easily kept in
condition, and as such, I consider him to be far superior to the cheap Aus-
tralian.
Sibi Horse Show.
381. This Show held from the 10th to 13th February 1896, maintained the
high character which it has gradually acquired during the past few years.
382. The brood mares showed great excellence and most of the prize-
winners would have held their own in any Show ring in England. I have only
to state that 393 were exhibited to prove that this part of Baluchistan promises
to be one of the best breeding centres in India.
383. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, expected a vast
falling off in the number of brood mares attending this Show, as, whilst on tour
during the winter, he had branded 400 mares many of which would have come
in to the Show to be branded and which would have competed for prizes;
instead of a decrease there was an increase of 77.
384. The young stock again was a most noticeable feature of the Show.
310 competed for prizes being an increase of 30 on last year. When I say that
I would not have hesitated to put a single one of these 310 into a run with a
view of their becoming either British or Cavalry, their excellence can well be
understood.
385. With reference to the class of stallion most suitable for the mares of
this part of the country, the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,
states:—
"Out of 177 prizes that were awarded to the produce of Government sires, no less than 61 fell to stock of
thoroughbred English, 60 to Arabs., and 56 to Norfolk Trotters. As the percentage of thoroughbred English
stallions in Baluchistan campared with Norfolk trotters and Arabs, is only about 1 to 10 and 1 to 20, respect-
ively, I think this is sufficient proof of the great superiority of the thoroughbred English as a stallion for this
part of the country."
386. With this Officer's views, as far as thoroughbred stallions are concern-
ed, I agree in toto, but I differ with him in his condemnation of the Arab as a
stallion suited for the mares of Baluchistan. The failure of this class of horse
must not be attributed to the class generally, but rather must it be looked for
in the fact that inferior stallions of this class have hitherto been allotted to
this part of India. At my inspection, I ordered one Arab to be destroyed and
one to be castrated and sold, and have noted three others that will be got rid
of next year.
387. On the subject of remounts, the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary
Department, states:—
"I heard great complaints of there being no purchasers, especially as there were a great number of three-
year olds suitable for Native Cavalry in the market.
"It was a matter of much regret that the Inspector General of Cavalry had fixed upon the week of this
Show to hold his inspections at Jacobabad and in Baluchistan. This caused a great deal of inconvenience to
those who managed the Show, by preventing Officers, who had promised to assist on the Judging Committee,
from attending.
"It also effectively stopped three or four Native Cavalry Regiments within easy reach of Sibi, from send-
ing a British Officer to purchase. Of the four regiments practically close to Sibi, only one British Officer came
to purchase, and he was ordered back to his Regiment on account of the inspection. Officers of the Native Caval-
ry are continually complaining of the difficulties they have of obtaining remounts and the prices they have to
pay for them. As far as the Fairs in my districts are concerned, I can only say they rarely come to try. At
Sibi this year I was informed, on reliable authority, that dealers who bought largely at Quetta in October last,
had cleared many thousand of rupees by retailing their horses to Regiments."
388. Whilst fully recognizing the difficulty which an officer holding the
position of Inspector General of Cavalry has to contend with, owing to the
enormous tract of country over which he has to travel, I have extracted the
above portion of Veterinary Captain Maxwell's report in order to account for
the fact that whilst 23 horses entered the ring to compete for prizes as remounts
for Native Cavalry, only 8 were purchased this year for this branch of the
service, and 7 for Police.
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