486 Journal of Agriculture. [8 August, 1907. 



-more directly affects the user than the breeder of horses for he finds 

 that instead of getting an average of eight or ten 3'ears' work out of his 

 purchase the majority of horses break down and become unsound and 

 worn out before they have -worked half that time. At least seventy-five 

 per cent, of the horses working in the streets of ]Melbo\irne are unsound 

 and one-third of these are perceptibly lame. 



So long as unsound stallions receive patronage so long will this deteri- 

 oration go on and breeders remain indifferent. It is all a question of 

 immediate profit. If ttiis were not so they would not be kept. By issuing 

 certificates for stallions sound and free from defects of conformation 

 owners of mares will know where thev can obtain the services of an 

 approved stallion. It may be said that, while it is desirable that a 

 veterinary certifica,te of soundness be issued, the question of conformation 

 should be left to the owner. Now a stallion might turn out to be quite 

 free from hereditar\- or other unsoundness and yet be a most unsuitable 

 animal for a sire, and it is quite right that in such cases the certificate 

 should be withheld. 



Stallions untested by work of any kind are less likelv to develop 

 unsoundness than working horses ; and after all most hereditary forms of 

 unsoundness are due to defects of conformation such as weak hocks, 

 upright pasterns, etc. Horse breeders and owners are not necessarily 

 good judges as to soundness, in fact, those well up in vears had little 

 opportunity of becoming so in their youth and many are still incline-d 

 to doubt the existence of so much unsoundness. The younger generation, 

 however^ will be wise to give heed to such matters. Stallions to be 

 approved of require other qualities than soundness and symmetry. We 

 have all seen sound Avell-proportioned horses that were not worth their 

 oats. When put to the test of every-day Avork character counts as much 

 as anything. 



The Government Grant for Improving Horse-Breeding. 



I do not hold with the idea of subsidising stallions. Good stallions 

 do not need it and unless the services of subsidised stallions were confined 

 to approved mares more harm than good would be done. The sum of 

 ^3.000 is much too small to make any perceptible ■ improvement and the 

 circumstances are totally different from those of countries where subsidies 

 have been found successful. 



Horse-breeding is being carried on in a most haphazard and un- 

 satisfactory way. There is plenty of good material but it wants selecting 

 and classifying and the industry must be regulated and controlled if any 

 serious attempt at improvement is to be made. To give an instance — 

 dozens of strong-limbed compact thoroughbred colts that would make 

 splendid sires of Indian remounts are castrated every year because they are 

 not likely to develop speed enough for the turf. 'Some of these should 

 be selected and encouragement given to owners to rear them as stallions. 

 I will, therefore, offer the following suggestions: — 



1. That the State be divided into five or miore districts and that in- 

 each district a stud stock committee consisting of two good judges, pre- 

 ferably breeders, one of light and the other of draught horses, and an 

 experienced veterinary surgeon be appointed. 



2. That all stallions for public service be paraded at certain specified 

 centres in each district where they can be inspected by the committee and 

 clasisified into ist, 2nd, and 3rd class — a certificate ' or licence be given 

 to all approved stallions. The certificate to state what class of mares. 



