The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-03-10
HORSE NOTES.


The scarcity Of Horses.
The following letter has been addressed by Ad-
miral Rous to Lord Rosebery, with reference to his
approaching motion In the House Of Lords on the
scarcity Of horses in England:-
BERKELEY SQUARE Feb. Is, 1873.
MY DEAR ROsEBERY-The facts from practical
knowledge bearing upon the state and condition OF
our national stud convince me that in 1878 there Is
greater number OF horses Of every description In
England than ever was known, and that In their
respective classes and vocations they are superior
to their predecessors. strange accession OF ma
tonal wealth has Increased the demand for supe-
rior articles, especially for hunters housekeeping
carriage horses and clever hacks; consequently the
extra demand exceeds the normal supply.
All Injuries and domestic stock have risen In
value, owing to higher remuneration for labor,
and IL stands to reason that with the present price
Ia anSs snd NO With IN
horses when he can get forty-hve shiiings for his
lambs.
There are only two classes profitable to breed
Suffolk cart horses, because the mares only lose
two months work during the year, and their foals
have increased in value 100 per cent; secondly,
Thoroughbred stock, the produce OF celebrated
maj es by first class stations. Unfortunately many
farmers prefer breeding by Inferior horses at
and may here remark that stallion serving
gratis, instead OF comforting a public benent, is
productive of injury by enticlng owners OF worn
out mares to take the chance OF producing mar
ketable foal; SPECTATOR in hatbred stock can,
colt under f60 that will not pay-hence the
dimnutiOn OF the class of hacks. We must look to
North Germany, Denmark and Norway for inferior
stock.
Although every species of domestic animals has
improved In stature, weight and good qualities
during the last fifty years, from horses, short
horns and sheep to ducks and fowls the race horses
We are so proud Of will eventually be beaten by
France.
Frenchmen have bought the cream of the cream
OF our blood-Iigris, Lottery, Gladiator, West Aus
traan and many other III lasfr r mares t ana
have sOwn 80 they have reaped. Considering the
number of their brood mares they have beaten us
U rag N n
they have larger bone under the knee. The French
government encourage the breed by giving valu-
able prizes, and the French Jockey Club derive
revenue from the racing stands, which Is applied
to racing interests, but confined to native horses.
public Sreedins estsbiIshments. TO Increase the
dividends they rear forty fcals on tainted ground
which ought not to carry more than twenty. Then
necessity arises for keeping the yearlings separate
in small paddocks and they are shut up for eighteen
or twenty hours out of the twenty-four in close
natural defects. They are brought to the hammer
Mt to eat, not to go into work Sore shins and
years in ten the best horses are reared in private
it is not so in France They are clever enough to
estimate the value OF great range, fity-acre
paddocks, fresh air ana open sheds day and night.
With respect to Count Deagrange's establishment
speed and soundness and 0utlast our horses in
training In England there are only tive race
prizes, Ascot ana Newmarket. At EPSON pI and
Doncaster nne-tenths OF the revenue is devoted to
private pockets and town rates. Our prizes are
open to all the world; even the patry national do
nation of Royal Plates voted each session by the
House of Commons to improve the breed OF horses
OH British territory is partially lost to us by Her
Majesty's Masters of the Horse allowing foreign
horses to compete. They have been liberal with
trust money which they were bound by duty to see
properly appropriated. 1t is the Old British reel
procity system, to give away everything and re-
ceive nothing.
Our government becomes more hostile every
year to the turf. Not satisfied with an ubiquitous
tax on race horses the inland revenue has COM
menced new dodge to improve the breed; They
have intimated to the owner OF Knight of the Gar
ter to pay q percentage on his services. He is
about the finest horse in the world.
papers that English racehorses have degenerated
owing to the system OF short races-as IL running
four miles to please the butchers would improve
their stamina The strongest and the most power.
speed; but we anx0usly send our brood mares,
even at the expense OF f1OO, to the stoutest run
ners Do the simpletons imagine that strong
medicine, long sweats and thorough preparation
to carry heavy weights for four miles add to the
vigor and prOcreatiOn OF the animal, and that by
brutal treatment he will be more capable OF getting
heavy weights and running long steeple chases and
hurdle races Does that improve the breedf
With respect to racehorses, greyhOunds and men,
about two IN 600 can run four miles In superior
form. man five feet two inches will beat man
six feet three inches for two miles, but II both are
equally well made, put one hundredweight on their
illustrates the difference between the racehOrses OF
the last century and OF the present era they have
increased from thirteen hands three inches to
fifteen and half hands two and halfinches in 40
years.
The practical cause of scarcity Of horses is re-
dundancy OF wealth.
The practical remedy put the same tax on race
horses as on other horses OF luxury and then pray
leave us alone. am my dear Rosebery very faith
TO the Earl Of RosEBERY.