The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-09-27
RUSSIAN HORSES.
Twenty Millions Liablc for Cavalry
Service.
A GLIMPSE AT THE IMpERIAL STABLES

| A GLIMPSE AT THE 1MPERIAL STABL LES
Although the number Of horses in Russi:
| is gradually decreasing, nevertheless, accord
| iug to the returns OF the Cestral Statistics
Bureau Of st. Petersburgh, that country still
| possesses almost three times the number o
horses in proportion to its population tha
| Prussis, England, France. or even Austria
| possesses. There are, in fact, upward o
| q, ,000, 900 horses in Russia, or about twenty
seven to every one hundred inhabitants
! The proportion ismuch greater in particular
Enthusiastically Siberia, which bas q horse
| to almost every nan of the population. The
Eas'ein aud Southeastern Governments art
the next best provided. Afterward come
the Central Governments. Poland, Finland
| and Caucasa are i'll supplied still they are
not so badly off as the Sou.hern and South.
| western Governments, where oxen have
chiefly to be used for agricultural purposes
There sre
FOUR GREAT BREEDS OF HORSES IN RUSSIA;
the steppe horse, the mountain horse OF eau.
casa, the forest horse Of the North, and the
draueht horse, known as the Bijug. Fore
mcst among the Steppe borses is that Of the
Don. decended from old Tartarrace, which
has been improved by crossing with Arab,
Persian, Tscherkess, and Turkish breeds.
They surpass all the other Russian horses iu
liehtness and flactness. Their prominent
characteristics are keen sight, swift, untlr-
ing pace, combined with the power of living
on scanty fare. The best of them are either
taken for troop horses or sold into the in-
terror. As they live out all the year round on
the steppe, they are accustomed TO changes
OF climate, aud are consequently extremely
suitable for field service.
cALMUck HORSES.
The Calmuck horse, belonging TO the
steppes in the Government OF Astrakan, and
Of Mongolian or Tartar breed, is small and
ugly, useless for draught purposes but alike
hardy and spirited. A ready sale has always
been found in Khiva as well as Russia for
these horses, which used formerly TO be
largely in request for mounting light cavalry
uoons. The Kirghese and Bashkir horse is
small and ugly, like the Calmuck, to which
IL is related. 1t is more muscular, however,
and larger boncd, is never fed in stables, and
is able 10 bear both hunger and thirst with
great endurance. Among this breed ot
horses excellent trot,ers are frequently
found, and command high prices.
THE KARABaIH>K
is greatly esteemed throughout all Russia as
the most celebrated of the Caucasian horses.
This breed, produced very many years ago
from TruchmcDisch and Arab stations, Is
distinguished by extraordinary instinct,
ouickncSs Of hearing, and remarkable
power of maintaining his equilibrium, which
latter quality renders it Of ineStimaol" value
in mountainous districts. The most gener-
ally ditfused breed in Catcasa is the habar-
diniscb, or TScherkes, which has sprung
from crossing different mountain races with
Arab horses. 1t is large, strong, spirited,
cautious, and surc-footed, recognizes places
readily, and stands the viciSstudeS OF both
heat and cold with oeut indifference. The
largest and most powerful Of these horses are
found in Great kabarda, and are used for
mounting the Caucasian division Of dfa-
goonS. Among
NORTHERN HORSES,
the Tschmud, which has been bred in Lithn-
anil Tor centuries, is the best known. 1t IS
small and has short feet, is good tempered,
enduring, light in harness, pleasant to ride,
snd exceedingly useful for farming purposes.
The Btjugs are natives Of Central Russia,
and take their name from the river BllJuSa,
in the Government of Woronesch, in the rich
meadows of which they thrive. They are of
toierable size, extremely strong, and suited
for heavy work as we'll as for quick driving.
Unfortunately this fiue race is nearly extinct.
RUSSIAN cRowS STABLES.
At the time of the last returns there were
seven Crown studs in Russia and one in Po-
land, containing altogether 1902 nsood-
mares and horses, with twelve Crorn sta
bles having 945 stations. Russia turther
possesses 2,444 private studs, having o,19G
stations and about 10000 broodmares, be-
sides $4,000 stations and G2O, 900 DroodmareS
| in the Copacli and s;eppc" tabunes." Horse
breeding has decreased on private estates
since the emancipation Of the serts. ana
many OF the studs have been broken up, ana
have passed in part into The hands OF the
Deasantry. In Russia there are $50 borSe'
| fairs, at which about $50 900 animals are an
nualIy sold, out of about 100000 brought to
| market. The average price per horse is sixty
| rout,leS. consequently the yearly returns
amount to 100000 rOubleS, or million anu
| quarter sterling. The imperial authorize.
announce an exhibition Of Russ!an-bred
| stations aud mares at Moscow this month
when about three thousand pounds are to be
distributed in prizes.