70 



fitness to beget horses that will stand work 

 in the hunting field or on the road. This 

 is a result of the changes which have come 

 over the English Turf during the century. 

 We must, however, retrace our steps and 

 glance at the endeavours to improve our 

 horses which have been made within the 

 last thirty years. 



The year 1873 saw the appointment of 

 the Select Committee generally known as 

 Lord Rosebery's Committee " to Enquire 

 into the Condition of the Country with 

 regard to Horses, and its Capabilities of 

 Supplying any Present or Future Demands 

 for them." This committee did not con- 

 sider the question of Racing ; their labours 

 during their sixteen sittings were restricted 

 to eliciting facts from the witnesses con- 

 cerning the breeding and supply of horses 

 of the generally useful stamp ; and much 

 valuable evidence was given before them. 

 To summarise them briefly, the main points 

 of their Report were as follows : 



The Committee considered that so far 

 as the Army was concerned it seemed to 

 be admitted that the mounted branches 

 were never better horsed than they were 

 now : Mr. H. R. Phillips had given evidence 

 that Irish mares were chiefly used in the 



