18
All are unanimous in opinion that the system leads to better development and
docility, and that the remount, when sent to the ranks at four years of age, is
not more expensive than the remount bought at that age in Fairs.
105. We have so many centres at which stock of these ages are available,
that I commend the system to the notice of the Government of India, feeling
assured that, if generally adopted, it would lead to the better mounting of our
Native Cavalry.
The Horse
eommonly
spoken of as
"The Northern
Horse."
106. We hear much about the difficulties experienced by Native Cavalry to
obtain remounts. Granted that there is some difficulty to obtain them of four
years of age, it behoves us then to watch carefully every source from which
horses can be obtained. A very promising trade sprang up with dealers bring-
ing horses from across the border to the Quetta Horse Show, and it was at one
time thought that this would develop, and so it would have done, had it been
fostered, but unfortunately the class of horse bought was not approved of by
the Bengal Cavalry, and I fear that a good source of supply will be allowed to
practically dry up for want of support.
107. In last year's Annual Administration Report I gave an extract from
a report by General Sir J. Brown complaining that officers were not sent to
Quetta to buy: the question was referred to His Excellency the Commander-
in-Chief, and the Adjutant General in a letter to the Secretary to the Govern-
ment of India, Military Department, states that five Regiments stationed nearest
to Quetta, were asked their reasons for not sending remount parties to the Fair.
All their replies were to the effect that they have not a very high opinion of
the class of horses obtainable at the Show.
108. One Commanding Officer reports that the horses purchased by him
in 1894 in Quetta, went utterly to pieces in the hot weather; they appear
constitutionally unfit to stand the climate of the Punjab in the hot season,
and in other respects, turned out unsatisfactory.
109. Another remarks that he does not consider the type of horse obtain-
able at Quetta suitable for Native Cavalry, "he has found them difficult to
keep in condition, and they feel the heat greatly."
110. Again, the Inspector General of Cavalry in his report on the remounts
bought at Quetta by the 2nd Regiment, Central India Horse, says:—
"A large batch of expensive horses from Quetta, hardy looking, but, with about five exceptions, I did not
like them. Thick necked, slow, and short of action."
111. These are the adverse opinions of Regiments that have bought small
numbers. I would now give the opinions of the Regiments quartered in
Sind, who are constant buyers, in fact it may be said that they are mounted
principally on this class of horse. I give both sides of the question, in order
to be able to draw deductions from the opinions expressed.
112. On this question, the Officer Commanding, 6th Bombay Cavalry
stationed at Jacobabad, after referring to Veterinary Captain Morgan's des-
cription of the Northern Horse imported, which was reproduced on pages 59
and 60 of last year's Annual Administration Report, says:—
"Regarding what he calls Cabulis: I think the horses differ towards Cabul and become more weedy on
the Herat side, and amongst those bred along the highland, you get the short necked ones, while in the valley
of the Helmund, a better type is bred, known to us as Heratis, this latter is a useful type of horse, but
undoutedly the best are those coming from Meshed, on account of the large admixture of Arab blood.
"In comparison to the country-bred, now getting more numerous in this (Jacobabad and Thal-Chotiali) and
the Quetta districts, I think the comparison is in favor of the country-bred over the Northern. The Northern
horse sometimes inclines to be long in the back and occasionally upright in the pasterns; the latter should of
course be avoided, but the length of back does not seem so much to signify."
113. Referring to questions which I put to this officer, regarding the
ability of these horses to stand heat and cold, hard work, etc., he says:—
"(a) I have found them stand both heat and cold well.
"(b) I consider them hardy, and have seldom met a horse dainty in his food.
"(c) The susceptibility to skin disease is, I think, rather under the average. I have seen less up here
than down country.
"(d) They seem to stand well, and are certainly A 1 for long marches. They stand a long day in the
drill season well. I have only known perhaps not more than six off feed after a long hard day's
work.
"(e) I prefer the Meshed horse."