182 



RIDING 



The coaches between Melbourne and the gold-fields were then 

 really well horsed, and a high price was given for well-broken 

 strong horses ; but with the falling off in the gold production 

 and the extension of railways the demand for, as well as the 

 profit on, such horses fell off. 



When the Victorian gold-fields were at the zenith of their 

 prosperity, New South Wales, which had been pre-eminent in 

 breeding horses, was rapidly depleted of its best stock, not 

 only of harness horses but of breeding mares also. 



\ Horse-shipping. 



During the last sixteen years, while the population of New 

 South Wales has increased at the rate of four and a quarter per 

 cent, per annum, the number of horses in the colony has not 

 increased by more than one per cent. Speaking roughly, there 

 are a million and a half of horses in Australasia to two millions 

 in the United Kingdom ; but of this large number the ex- 

 portation beyond the confines of Australasia is comparatively 

 small. An average of between four and five thousand is now 



