HUNTERS' IMPROVEMENT SOCIETY 441 



answers, but " an important minority voiced several desirable 

 changes in the selection and type of these stallions," and the 

 admission to the schemes of stallions registered in the Hunters' 

 Stud Book. The Committee recommended: "(i) That a 

 serious and sustained effort should be made to organise the 

 hunter-breeding industry . . . and advised methods of 

 rendering assistance in breaking and in selling horses, 

 and co-operation among the producers themselves ; (2) 

 that the Hunters' Improvement Society should appoint a 

 Permanent Committee, with power to add to their number, 

 with consent of the Society, to consist of its own representa- 

 tives and nominees appointed by The Royal Commission on 

 Horse-breeding, The Brood Mare Society, The Board of 

 Agriculture, The War Office, and The Department of 

 Agriculture and Technical Instruction for Ireland." 



The type of registered hunter sires to be created was to 

 be " bred with a special view to bone, substance, constitution, 

 shape, and endurance, and in these- respects their manner of 

 production would differ from that of the Thoroughbred, which 

 is bred mainly for speed." To make the industry remunera- 

 tive and to supply the home demand, it was necessary " to 

 raise the standard of excellence, diminish the proportion of 

 misfits or failures, and cheapen the cost of production." 



The following suggestions appeared in the minutes of 

 evidence taken by the Special Committee: "(i) That the King's 

 premium horses in the United Kingdom should be consider- 

 ably increased under the auspices of the Royal Commission 

 on Horse-breeding, if the Commission see their way to 

 recommend the same. (2) The Government should 

 distribute among suitable farmers of the United Kingdom 

 the cast mares from artillery and cavalry, free from 

 hereditary diseases, and suitable for breeding purposes, to 

 be used quietly on the farms. (3) The mares, the property 

 of the Government, being lent to farmers for breeding 

 purposes, to be returned to the Government should they not 

 breed. (4) The Government to pay the service fee to a 

 premium or registered sire, and to have the refusal of 

 the produce at three-years-old-off, the same to pass the 

 veterinary surgeon, and to be taken at the fixed minimum 

 price of 35 on 1st September, if bred as stated. (5) That 

 small prizes of 5, 4, 3, or 2, according to the number of 



