11
Meerut, Saharunpore, Bulandshahr, Muzaffarnagar, &c., there has been a long
continuance of the Hackney strain, too long in fact, and the Thoroughbred is
imperatively called for ; but in the districts mentioned by Veterinary-Captain
Ringe, horse-breeding is in a backward state and the mares require size, there the
Hackney will do good in laying a foundation for future operations. On this
point the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North-Western Provinces
and Oudh, makes the further following remarks :—
Although I am of opinion that the Thoroughbred Australians and English are the most suitable stallions, still,
I do not think we should do away entirely with the Norfolk Trotter and Hackney class, as a certain proportion is
necessary to keep up the present class of mares, and also in some districts in these Provinces it is advisable to intro-
duce the Norfolk Trotter or Hackney blood for one or perhaps two generations, but to persist beyond this, is I think, a
mistake, as their produce is generally too coarse, too heavily topped, and deficient in many qualities which are re-
quisite for a cavalry remount.
68. On this subject the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department,
South Punjab, states :—
The average number of mares covered by each class of stallion employed at stud work, taking those with the
greatest number first, is Australian (69.66, Thoroughbred English 69.21, Hackney 47.61, Stud-bred 44.00, Arab 41.29,
Half-bred and Norfolk Trotter 41.09, Roadster 39.00, and Three-quarter bred 6.00. Last year it was, Australian 71.33,
Thoroughbred English 66.36, Roadster 60.00, Hackney 59.00, Half-bred and Norfolk Trotter 48.50, Arab 44.84,
Country-bred 23.00, and Stud-bred 6.00.
Australian stallions have been the most popular then the Thoroughbred English, Stud-bred and Arab.
Though Hackneys have covered an average of 47.61, Stud-bred 44.00, and Arab 41.29, it does not follow that their
popularity stands in this order, as in some places where the only class of stallion is the Hackney or Norfolk Trotter
breeders have been obliged to take their mares to them.
There is a rapidly growing dislike to the Hackney and Norfolk Trotter stallion, especially in the best breed-
ing districts ; breeders say their produce is soft, slow, and wanting in staying power ; in some cases, breeders have
preferred to take their mares to country-bred stallions.
Big Arab stallions are much in demand, a small Arab is nearly always objected to.
69. There is one point brought to notice in this circle, viz : that big Arabs
are in demand, and that small ones are usually objected to. This is of importance
when read in connection with my remarks on the purchase of Arabs, and shows
that if we want this class of horse to be used in the districts—and I maintain that it
is essential that it should be used—we must be prepared to pay more money than
we do now.
70. On the subject of the demand for stallions, the present Superintend-
ent, Civil Veterinary Department, North Punjab, relies on notes left by his pre-
decessor, Veterinary-Lieutenant Turnbull, who relinquished the appointment on
31st March, 1898. I would call special attention to these remarks as I consider
this Officer to be one of the best judges of horse flesh in the Department. He
states:—
Mr. Turnbull here says, of all stallions, that he prefers the Thoroughbred Waler and that he is universally
liked all over the North Punjab Circle, and that breeders refuse to put their mares to Norfolk Trotters when the
services of Thoroughbreds are available. In a note he further observes that he can only emphasize his remarks of
last year, that there is one class of horse for which there is a demand—the Thoroughbred. In the North Punjab
Circle, all others are used on sufferance, and because a Thoroughbred is not available. An exception he makes to the
Arab which should be a big framed, big boned animal, as he is required for the frontier districts. (He says he is
aware of the dificulty to obtain Arabs answering this description, but merely wishes to describe what is wanted.)
If we could only manage to place 20 more Walers, of the class which are now received, in the North Punjab, such as
' Tim Swiveller,' ' Marble.' ' Boots,' and several other horses that combine all the size and substance with other advan-
tages, the result will be a greater production of really good stock. No more coarse bred Norfolk Trotters should be
imported into India, the results of whose efforts is now only too apparent.
Stallions which
produce stock the
most suitable for
the Army.
i 1. Again, we are reminded that Arabs, to be of value as sires, should be
big framed and big boned, and we are told that they are required for our frontier
districts ; to obtain many such animals more than Rs. 2,000 will have to be paid.
72. There can be no doubt that the Thoroughbred, if well selected, will
give us the best results where riding horses are what we aim at. I say well
selected, for no weeds should be used. Like will beget like, and if we use a stallion
deficient in bone—let it be that he is small jointed or light below the knee—the
stock will be the same. My hopes are concentrated in the Thoroughbred Australian
none of which are less than 8 inches in shank measurement, and all of which are
big jointed horses. To describe the majority, I cannot but repeat an expression
made use of by a good judge of horse flesh when looking over Messrs. Krcrouse
and Madden's last consignment; it was to the effect that if you were blind-folded
and asked to handle these horses you would imagine that you were dealing with
cart horses, and still, these are the Thoroughbred horses that must stamp their
stock.
73. Reporting on this subject, the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary
Department, North-Western Provinces and Oudh, states :—
With the mares of these Provinces, who possess a large amount of Norfolk Trotter blood, and most of whom
are large roomy animals, I have no hesitation in saying that the Thoroughbred Australians and Thoroughbred English
stallions produce the most suitable stock for the Army. In connection with this, it is worthy of notice that out of
25 young stock purchased by the Remount Agent, 16 of them were by Thoroughbred stallions. Also that out of 52
first prizes awarded to 3 years old and under, 42 of them were obtained by stock from Thoroughbred stallions. These
facts, 1 think, speak for themselves.