ROYAL COMMISSION ON IJORSE-BREEDING 437 



in September 1902, and passed to the stud after being 

 shown a few times. The best foal which " Mahmud " sired 

 up till 1906 was out of a Transvaal mare. 



The Royal Commission on Horse-breeding-. 1 In the 



year 1888, certain money, which was formerly given in 

 Queen's plates for racing, was first diverted by the Royal 

 Commission on Horse-breeding to the encouragement of 

 horse-breeding in Great Britain. The selection of the best 

 horses entered for the various districts was at first annually 

 made in March at a show of thoroughbred stallions suitable 

 for getting half-bred horses, at the Royal Agricultural Hall, 

 Islington, in connection with the Royal Agricultural Society 

 of England and the Hunters' Improvement and Hackney 

 Horse Societies. In 1892, twenty-two "Queen's Premiums" 

 of 200 each were offered for stallions of four years old and 

 upwards, and these were distributed in six districts in 

 England three in each ; and four districts in Scotland 

 one in each. The Royal Agricultural Society of England 

 provided three additional stallions for another district of 

 England, making, with the six districts already referred to, 

 the seven produce districts into which the country has been 

 divided in connection with the annual agricultural returns. 

 In 1892 this Society withdrew its financial assistance. For 

 eight years (1894-1901) twenty-nine stallions annually 

 received premiums (now reduced to ^150), but since that time 

 the number selected has been fixed at twenty-eight. Until 

 1903, the judges selecting the horses were given no informa- 

 tion beyond a record of the age and height of each animal. 

 Now merit in performance in racing or steeplechasing has 

 with much benefit been taken into account. All stallions 

 are rejected if not found on inspection to be free from 

 roaring or .whistling, ring-bone, unsound feet, navicular disease, 

 spavin and cataract. Roaring is frequently associated with a 

 wasted appearance of the tissues which cover the larynx, and 

 " is caused by paralysis of one or both of the muscles which 

 open the larynx." Each stallion is expected (if required) to 

 serve the minimum number of fifty mares in the season, at 

 a fee of 2 for each mare and 2s. 6d. to the groom. The 

 average percentage of foals left is a little under sixty. The 

 total number of mares served in the season fell from 1916 in 

 1 Secretary J. Herbert Taylor, 12 Hanover Square, London, W, 



