71
In the four Royal studs there are altogether 754 brood mares. They are
kept in separate stables according to race, and are provided with special pastures
in herds of from 80 to 100. Mares with foal enjoy immunity from work and
are only exercised; the barren mares are worked in harness and ridden.
Foals, after they are weaned, are also separated into herds according to sex
and age in special stables and pastures. Their education begins at three years,
great care and kindness being insisted on. At four years their education being
completed, they are definitely distributed: the stallions being sent to the depôts,
and the most promising mares being retained in the studs. Surplus horses are
sold by auction at Buda Pesth yearly in September and October, and sometimes
useful animals are here to be picked up cheap.
The number of four-year old stallions sent to the depôts averages 110 per
annum, and about the same number are sold.
Stallion
depots.
There are at present five Government stallion depôts, sub-divided into 22
sub-depôts, containing in all 2,626 stallions. Most of the stallions come from the
Government studs, with the exception of from 30 to 40, which are purchased
from special breeders and as an encouragement to private studs, as the Govern-
ment raises a sufficient supply to satisfy the annual demands of the country.
In course of time, when the progress of horse-breeding in the country has
attained a certain limit, and the number of well-bred private stallions is suffi-
cient to meet the requirements of the public, the necessity for the Government
studs and depôts will disappear. This period is, however, still remote, and the
existing establishments are necessary; but it is probable that their numbers
may be gradually diminished in proportion as the horse-breeding in the country
progresses.
The maintenance of the Government establishments involves considerable
expense, but still the cost of service for stallions is extremely low.
The stud farms are not only self-supporting, partly from their own revenues
and those of the farms upon which they are located, but have a considerable
surplus annually.
The stallion depôts, on the other hand, require a yearly grant of £20,000
in addition to their own revenue and the surplus revenue of the stud farms.
The price of service in the depôts is absurdly moderate, varying from 3s.
6d. to 8s. for half-breds, and in case of a thorough-bred or particular stallion
from 12s. to 24s.
Private studs and societies can hire stallions for the season at from £16 to
£48. The number of mares covered by the stallions thus hired out is
limited to 40. Horse-breeders hire on the average from 60 to 100 stallions
per year.
The majority of the 2,626 Government stallions are only available for the
public for four months of the year, i.e., March to July.
During the season 600 stations are formed in the country, each with from
two to eight stallions. Stallions of from five to six years of age may cover four
times a week, and aged horses seven times.
The number of mares covered annually is about 85,000.
The price of service (paid down) entitles the breeder to four supplementary
services, if necessary.
It has been computed that on an average each Government stallion hired
out covers from 30 to 35 mares annually.
1. Depot
of
Szek-es-fehe-
war.
There are 914 stallions here distributed during the season at four sub-
depôts. The stallions are classified as follows:—98 thorough-bred English,
382 half-bred English, 60 Norman, 7 thorough-bred Arab, 92 half-bred Arab,
27 Lippican, and 16 native Hungarian.
The area of this depôt extends from the western frontier of Hungary on
both sides of the Danube to the river Ipoly, and includes 20 counties.