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many of the mares which I inspected were well calculated to breed good mules.
Five donkeys are now employed by the State, but as most of them are old, it
was decided to replace them. I did not feel justified to recommend the State
to go to the expense of purchasing expensive imported Jacks. I therefore
purchased for them two excellent country-breds, and hope to be able to obtain
more of this stamp.
In time I see no reason why the Transport for both Cavalry and Infantry
should not be obtainable in the State.
Requirements of the State.—This State maintains 600 horses for Im-
perial Service Troops besides 1,200 sowars, and from what I saw at my
inspection I am led to believe that the day is not far distant when not only
will all remounts required for State purposes be obtained in the State itself,
but that with its large resources it will produce more horses than it requires,
and will be able to furnish many remounts for Native Cavalry which will be
most advantageous to the zemindars.
It has been decided to hold an annual Horse Show, the first to be held
next September. I trust to be able to be present.
I feel that the best thanks of the Department are due to Major Pears the
Political Agent, for the assistance he so kindly gave me, as well as to the
Council of Regency with whom I had a lengthy interview.
I have gone somewhat into details with reference to horse and mule breed-
ing in this State, in order to shew in what direction other States could assist.
In a supplementary report received from the Political Agent, I find that
since the commencement of the present year, proper registers are to be kept
and the results of all coverings are to be properly registered.
Already 360 horse breeding and 19 mule breeding mares have been
covered, and altogether this State promises to take the lead in horse breeding
operations.
Jeypore.
284. In this State no stud exists although stallions are maintained for the
purpose of covering mares, the property of the State, as also mares belonging
to Jagirdars that may be brought to them.
By the courtesy of the Darbar, I was able to inspect 5 of these stallions,
two being Kathiawar and 3 Marwars. They were, generally speaking, unsound
with little bone below the knee and had over-bent hocks.
These faults were reproduced in the mares and young stock which 1 saw
and which have lately been bought in the State. Some of these mares were
fine up-standing roomy animals well calculated to produce good remounts
if mated with good stallions. At an interview which I had with His Highness
the Maharajah in company with Colonel Prideaux, Resident at Jeypore, I was
informed that mares were owned by the Jagirdars only. Having recommended
the purchase of 6 good Arabs to replace some of the other stallions, His
Highness said he felt doubtful of success, but that he would purchase two as
an experiment, keeping them at Jeypore and issuing notices to the effect that
they would be available to cover mares, the property of the Jagirdars. These
two stallions have been bought in Jeypore. Even such a commencement, al-
though small, is encouraging.
Horse Fair.—A horse fair is held annually and remounts fit for Native
Cavalry are obtained. At that held in November last, 30 horses were bought
by the Deoli Irregular Force and 4th Bengal Cavalry. If this is the case at
present, when no regular system exists, there are I feel good prospects of
developing the horse breeding industry in this State, and in time it should be
able to supply a much greater number of remounts than it does at present.
A total of 1,694 horses are reported to have attended this show, and in
addition to the 30 remounts mentioned above as having been bought, 70 were
purchased by the Jeypore State.
285. This State is capable of being developed into a very large breeding
centre. Not only is Maharajah Sir Pertab Singh a lover of horses, but all the
Jagirdars are also. In order, however, to meet this end, some system must be
introduced into the stud arrangements which at present are not such as will
lead to success—this I have explained to Sir Pertab Singh.