8 March, 1907.] lm\provement in Horse-breeding. 151 



learn that hundreds of pairs of carriage and coach horses have been sold 

 every \ear in London for jQioo to ^500 a pair, the purchasers being quite 

 unaware of their foreiijn origin. If any one should take the trouble to 

 trace their origin, it is stated that then they would find that thev came 

 either from the horse-breeding districts of Normaii(l\ in JMai^ct-, or from 

 the Oldenburg Province of Germanv. 



Australian Material for Improvement. 



As L)earing on the subject of the suitability of the Australian thorough- 

 bred for producing horses for foreign markets, the result of experiments in 

 India extending over 12 and 22 years are interesting. 



In a paper l>y the late Vet. -Colonel J. H. B. Haller, who was the 

 general superintendent of horse-breeding operations in India, he states: — 

 " Of the stock got by Australian sires, the young stock often prove better 

 boned in limb than the stock from thoroughbreds imported from England." 

 These observations were made after the system had been tweh-e vears in 

 operation. Colonel ()ueripel, the Inspector-General in India, 22 years 

 after the system had been in operation, complains that the English 

 thoroughbreds of the stamp required to get remounts grow scarcer and harder 

 to obtain each year. Breeders aim at long-legged, striding animals, which 

 are exactly what India does not require. 



On the other hand, a Ijetter stamp of thoroughbreds has been procured 

 in small numbers from Australia. Several imported during the otlicial 

 year 1897-8 were between 15.2 and 152- in height, girthed from 68 to 72-^- 

 inches, and onh one had less than 8 inches of bone below the knee. It 

 is interesting to note the proportion of prizes won by the progenv of each 

 class of stallions when mated Avith the light native mares. These figures 

 cover a period of six years, and show the stock of half-bred English 

 sires first, Australian stallions taking second place, English thoroughbreds 

 third. Eigures relating to subsequent vears show the thoroughbreds im- 

 ported from Australia in the first j^lace. 



Recommendations . 



As a result of mv inquiries, I am more than satisfied that the improve- 

 ment of the Australian horse can l>e largely contributed to bv displaying 

 that great care and attention in the iudicious selection of stallions and 

 mares as is exhibited by other horse-breeding communities, the necessary 

 material being at ])resent ol)tainable in the Commonwealth, though juobablv 

 in limited quantities. 



I would suggest— 



1. That the Government purchase a number of short-legged, thick-set, 

 thoroughbred stallions, from 15 to 15.2 hanfls high, of the type being 

 shipped to India, their racing performances Ijeing taken into consideration 

 only SO' far as thev convev a guarantee of constitutional soundness. They 

 should be distributed throughout the State for service of half-bred mares 

 only, and made available at a small fee to farmers and others. The merits 

 of this plan are at least twofold. It wonld prevent the loss to the State 

 of a verv desirable type of stallion, and would encourage the production 

 of a greater number of horses suitable for export or general utilitv purposes. 



2. That premiums be offered annually for stallions suitable for im- 

 proving the breed of horses, the condition l:>eing that the winners shall stand 

 in districts to be allotted, at a reasonable f^e. to be fixed b\- the (jovern- 

 ment, and to be available for ser\ice of at least thirtv half-bred mares 



