Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-11-04

those in the first division, some nineteen
in number, being used for stud purposes
at the parent farm. Of this lot nine are
English thoroughbreds and ten half
bred-that is, the progeny of English or
French thoroughbred stations and the
native Hungarian mares. The thor
oughbred stations were selected be-
AUS of their breeding, racing perform
ances, soundness and individuality, and
none but sound mares are ever mated
with them, it being the policy of the
government to breed horses without a
blemish Of any kind. All these stations
are exercised daily for two hours.
The stations in the second division are
let out to private breeders, who pay
from 800 to 500 forms a season for them.
In the third division are to be found
those that are kept at the military sta
tions scattered all over the country, and
are let at fees varying from two to five
torins. Those in the fourth division are
the stations that are sold to the COM
munes. or divisions into which Austria
and France are split up. Of the second
class some 1900 Mezohegyes stations
are standing at the low fees named. and
oftener two forms is paid than the
larger sum. The Austrian horses have
wonderfully kind dispositions, 100 stall
lions frequently standing side by side at
Mezohegyes with nothing but swinging
poles between them.
The horses sold to the communes are
disposed of at much below their real
value, the prices being set by the minis
ter Of agriculture, it being the one OBJ
ject to encourage the Austrians to i'm
prove the breed of the horse. Repre-
sentatives from the communes inspect
the horses, make their choice, and pay
down one-quarter of the price, which is
never altered, before taking the horse
away, and the balance is paid in three
annual installments. This privilege is
very much valued by the comniunes,
who invariably buy up all the horses.
Several horses are purchased by one
commune. and as one district near
Mezohegyes consists of 10000 inhabi-
tants, who w some $4,000 horses, the
necessity of such extensive buying is
apparent.
The mares are generally kept in
groups, or what is termed a haras, Of
about 100 mares each, guarded by
mounted soldier chicos when turned out
on the plains. The mares are in three
divisions, the first being the Gidrans, so
called from the founder of their race, a
pure bred Arab, his progeny again being
crossed with English thoroughbreds.
They are usually about 1873 hands high
and handsomely turned, are easily
matched, and are generally dark chest
nut in color. They have great bone and
substance, and to an English or Ameri-
can eye should be useful in the hunt
ing field. They are said to produce en-
cellent chargers, with the best of tenn
pers.
The second division of brood mares
contains Anglo-Norman mares descend
ed from a stallion named Nonius, i'm
ported from France in 1915, his progeny
being crossed with English stations.
These mares are from sixteen to seven
teen hands high, chiefly browns and
bays. and they produce superb carriage
horses to the cover of thoroughbred
stations. Another division contained
smaller mares descended from Nonius,
and the last is composed of the descend
ants of a Hungarian horse called Furio-
so, his progeny being crossed with half
bred and thoroughbred English stall
lions.
1t is perfectly safe for a stranger to
go among the horses in the field, and
they submit to having their feet han
died, showing no signs of viciousness.--
Nineteenth Century.