2
4. Twenty-three horses and two ponies were destroyed during the year
under review. Of the 23 horses, 18 were destroyed as being old and unfit for
stud purposes.
5. The total casualties from death or destruction, amounted to 38 against
51 last year. Considering the great disadvantages under which this Depart-
ment has laboured during the year, I consider that the result must be looked
upon as satisfactory.
Sales.
6. Thirteen horses were sold during the year—vide Table III (page vi).
Of these, 11 belonged to Bengal, and 2 to Bombay. Of these, the majority
were sold as being unfit for stud purposes.
Number of
stallions
present.
7. The totals, compared with last year, stood as follows on 31st March
1897:—
Three hundred and eighty-six horses against 361, and 19 ponies against
22 last year.
English
stallions.
8. During the past year, 24 stallions were received by importation from
England. Of these, 11 were thoroughbreds, 10 hackneys, 1 half-bred, and
2 three-quarter breds. Of these, 4 were imported for Bombay, and 20 were
sent to Northern India.
9. During the year under review, 2 two-year olds were sent out by General
Sir John Watson. In a letter from this officer to the Right Honourable the
Secretary of State for India, he says:—
"Referring to paragraph 10, page 2 of the Annual Administration Report, Civil Veterinary Department
for 1895-96, I am glad to see that the Inspector General does not object to the occasional purchase of two-year
old horses; it is the opinion of some breeders that horses that have not been trained themselves, but whose
parents have on the turf proved themselves to be of sound constitution and good stamina, are likely to prove
better stallions than those who have been trained and raced in early youth; at the same time it must be
remembered that it is more difficult to judge what a two year old will grow into, than it is to judge of the
promise of an older horse, and mistakes may occasioually be made."
10. Again, Sir John Watson, in a letter to me, said:—
"I have several two year olds in my eye this year and shall not hesitate to buy them if I know that their
sires and dams are the right sort."
11. Although I am fully prepared to accept a certain number of two-year
olds, we could not possibly be burdened with more than say, 10 per cent. per
annum, and my object in agreeing to Sir John Watson's proposal was, to enable
him to secure any particularly good colt which otherwise would be lost to us;
but I would strongly recommend that none be sent out about which there can
be any doubt, or about which, as stated by Sir J. Watson, "mistakes may
occasionally be made." And another point to which I would draw attention
is, that this is not a bone producing country, and therefore I do not think any
that are light in bone should be bought with a view of their improving in this
direction.
12. I am glad to find that Sir John Watson agrees with me in thinking
that the thoroughbreds are not quite as good as last year, although there are
some very good ones amongst them.
13. Taken as a whole, I do not like the thoroughbreds as a batch nearly as
well as those received last year. In my last Annual Administration Report,
I stated that they were a particularly level lot, and that there was but little
difference between the first and the last; this year, things are quite different,
for although we have "Royal Red" a horse possessing both bone and quality,
also "Prank" and "Thessalian," we have, on the other hand, "Talkin Tarn"
and "Black Douglas;" the latter is a good topped horse with a good shoulder,
but being only 7¼ in the shank should, in my opinion, not have been bought;
again "Talkin Tarn," not possessing as good a shoulder as "Black Douglas,"
is only 7½ below the knee.
14. I am perfectly well aware that the greatest difficulty exists to obtain
Thoroughbreds of the stamp required; this class of horse is bred entirely for
speed and to carry light weights over short distances, and I can quite under-
stand that Sir John Watson must have much difficulty in obtaining the
number and the stamp required. In a letter to me explaining the difficulties
he experiences, he says:—
"Some day you will have to raise your limit to 16 hands and 8 years old. Out of the 120 thorough bred
competing for Queen's Premiums at Islington, there were only three suitable for India, and they all took
Premiums".