3
arrangement had been made with the Arab Dealer Jasim-bin-Fid, to the effect
that he was to import horses of a high class for the Department. He arrived
so late in the year that I feel confident that a few horses of an exceptionally
good stamp were lost to the Department through waiting for him. On his
arrival, it was found that he had imported 25 horses, but on carefully inspect-
ing his batch, only 6 were in any way suitable for sires, and even these were
not the class calculated to get Remounts; granted, as he urged, that they were
high caste horses, they were, with one exception, too small. I was, however,
fortunate to obtain others combining quality, bone, and size, which are the
combined requirements of a good sire, notably 3 Chestnuts—for one of which
it was necessary to pay Rs. 3,517. Although the price may appear high, still
I feel that this horse can confidently be expected to get excellent Remounts,
and therefore I urge that he is by far cheaper than smaller animals for which
Rs. 1,500 to Rs. 1,800 have to be paid
11. The average price paid for the 3 Chestnuts, above alluded to, was Rs.
2,200, and in order to endeavour to obtain this class of horse in future, all the
large dealers were assembled and shown the class of horse required. They
were further informed that none below that standard would in future be taken
for the Department. Although the average price paid for these 3 horses was
only Rs. 2,200, still I feel that it will be necessary to increase the amount
paid if we want to induce the dealers to import this class of horse. The
amount available for the purchase of stallions for the year being limited, I was
compelled to beat the dealers down terribly, and the one for which Rs. 3,500
was paid, was obtained with great difficulty: it must be remembered that the
Government of India have to compete with such Native States as Indore, Jodh-
pore, &c., whose Agents are willing to give any amount for a good horse. For
the ensuing year, the sum of Rs. 26,000 has been allotted for the purchase of
13 Arab stallions, being an average of Rs. 2,000 each. The purchase of the
full number of stallions may be effected with the amount of money available,
but this can only be done if any horses are offered for sale, of the class requir-
ed, that may be suffering from sprains or other non-hereditary affections,
and which can be bought at a lower figure. Should, however, it be found, after
careful consideration of the horses in the market, that sires of the stamp requi-
red cannot be obtained at the average price, I shall ask the sanction of the
Government of India to reduce the number to be bought with the amount
available, as I feel that it will be to the advantage of horse breeding in India
to obtain a few horses of really good stamp, to a larger number of a class that
is not likely to produce remounts.
12. In addition to the 13 horses purchased in Bombay, 12 horses and ponies
were bought for Native States, for breeding purposes. These included many
useful ponies and galloways likely to improve the breed of mares in the States
to which they were sent, and in this way the number of mares available for
horse breeding, will gradually be increased.
Number of
stallions at stud
work.
13. The number of stallions at stud work is shown in Table IV (page vii).
By this Table it will be seen:—That of 102 horses on the Register of North-
Western Provinces and Oudh, 78 only were employed at stud work.
In North Punjab, 56 were employed out of 96.
In South Punjab, 51 were employed out of 63.
These numbers may at first sight appear small, but it must be borne in
mind that 56 horses were bought or received by importation during the year;
that a certain percentage is always either in the Depôt owing to sickness or for
the purpose of conditioning; and again it must be pointed out that the North-
Western Provinces and Punjab Depôts retain horses for the abovenamed rea-
sons until they are transferred to the Derajat and Baluchistan; the proportion
therefore of horses employed to the total on the Registers of these two Prov-
inces is correspondingly far greater.
In Derajat, of 25 on the Register, 21 were employed at stud work, whilst
all of the 40 stallions in Baluchistan were employed during the whole year.