DETERIORATION OF THE AUSTRALIAN HORSE 25 



heavy ; a well-bred weight-carrying polo pony is 

 the ideal required for all mounted troops who 

 carry little on the saddle.' This shows that Lord 

 Kitchener was alive to the evil of the ' five or 

 six crosses of thoroughbred ' pampered up into 

 bigness. 



The London Times says that Lord Downe's 

 report gives damnatory evidence to show that 

 there was a larger proportion of horses of an 

 entirely unsuitable class, in some cases amounting to 

 50 per cent., and affirms that the Cape Colony and 

 Basuto pony was the best horse, and from 14 to 15 

 hands the best size. 



I have no doubt that many scores of other 

 authorities to the same effect could be produced, 

 but I have not searched for any. I have only put 

 together those which have incidentally come under 

 my notice in general reading. 



