2
English stal-
lions.
6. During the year under review, 44 horses were imported from England.
This number included 5 Half-breds, 14 Thorough breds, and 25 Hackneys. Of
this number, one Thoroughbred and one Hackney died at sea, and one Tho-
roughbred had to be destroyed at Bombay, owing to his having sustained a
severe fracture of the pastern. The number therefore shown in Table I, as
having been received by importation, stands at 41.
7. Speaking generally, the horses received from England have given
satisfaction and are likely to prove useful sires. Naturally it is to be expected
that a certain number of horses do not come up to the high standard which
one is inclined to fix for horses that are employed as stallions; this
applies more to the Thoroughbreds than to any other class; some are slightly
deficient in bone, but this is the fault of the class generally, and General
Sir J. Watson is to be congratulated on having been able to purchase
such horses as "Millom," "Peregrine Falcon," "Inoculation," and "Wicklow
Spar," amongst the Thoroughbreds; "Holme Cadet," "Generalissimo,"
"Black Diamond," and others, amongst the Hackneys; whilst amongst the
Half-breds, I would specially mention "Fakeaway" and "Real Glue."
The Department has been most unfortunate this year in the losses sustain-
ed amongst the imported horses and especially so amongst the Thoroughbreds.
The following horses of this class either died or were destroyed:—
"Lairg" died shortly after his arrival at the Depôt, from Pneumonia.
"Manna" fractured his pastern on landing at Bombay and had to be
destroyed.
"Macgregor" died on the voyage out, whilst "Bury King Cole," a
Hackney, also died on board the same ship. These two last named casualties
were reported to have been due to bad weather and also to the stalls being close
to the bows of the ship, so that the horses were constantly washed by seas com-
ing over.
Thorough-
bred Austra-
lians.
8. During the year under review, every endeavour has been made to secure
Thoroughbred Australian sires, and the Department was fortunate enough to
obtain that grand horse "Moorhouse." Such a horse possessing, as he did, qua-
lity and substance with good legs and feet, promised to stamp the stock got
by him in this country, but unfortunately he was of a very impetuous temper-
ament, and when serving a mare, he reared over and fractured his skull. I
regret his loss more than that of any horse in the Department.
In addition to the horse above mentioned and the other Thoroughbred
Australians bought for the Ulwar state, the Department secured "Exbank,"
a good, compact, little horse, and a Half-bred— "Young Mohana;" this latter
is equal in merits to the majority of the Half-breds imported from England.
9. Feeling that the general consensus of opinion was in favor of increasing
the number of Thoroughbreds in districts where the strain of Norfolk Trotter
or Hackney blood has prevailed for a long time, and knowing the difficulties
experienced by General Sir J. Watson in obtaining Thoroughbreds of a suit-
able stamp in England, Mr. Madden, who is well acquainted with the Aus-
tralian Market, was consulted and was asked whether Thoroughbreds likely
to prove good sires, could be obtained in Australia. His reply was to the
effect that a limited number could be obtained. With the sanction of the
Government of India, he has been requested to purchase 6, which it is hoped
will be imported during the ensuing cold weather. It has been stipulated that
the horses are to be of undeniable pedigree, between 15-1 and 15-3 in height,
age from 5 to 8 years, minimum measurements-girth 70 inches, shank 8 in-
ches. If horses of this description are obtainable from Australia, we shall
have as good sires as could be desired, as it is a well known fact that Austra-
lian Thoroughbreds have much better feet and legs than are to be found in
English horses of that breed.
Arab stallions.
10. The Arab market was very closely studied during the year under review
and the conclusion arrived at was that a limited number of really good stal-
lions could be obtained if sufficiently high prices were paid for them. An