330 THE IRISH HORSE-BREEDING INDUSTRY 



under which the breed has been developed), Connemaras are proverbially 

 sure-footed, and there is reason to hope that, with the exercise of more care 

 and attention in their selection and breeding, they may yet work their way 

 lO the front as one of the most generally useful of the larger breeds of ponies 

 in the kingdom. Already good results have been obtained by crossing them 

 mth small thoroughbreds for the production of polo ponies : when they 

 come of the right type from this breeding, they have the reputation of 

 being second to none for smartness, lasting power, and " general intelli- 

 gence " in the polo field. 



According to the official returns, there were in Ireland last year (1901), 

 565,000 horses of all kinds. Horse-breeding has long played a very im- 

 portant part in Irish farming systems ; but considering the great change 

 which has taken place in the agriculture of the kingdom at large during the 

 past half century, the position of this industry in Ireland must be regarded 

 as having undergone very little alteration in that time. In the year 1850, 

 the number of horses in Ireland was 526,757, and at no period in the 

 intervening years did the numbers fluctuate to any remarkable extent, 

 though the usual influences of supply and demand led to repeated varia- 

 tion in the numbers bred from decade to decade. High water mark in the 

 country's history as a horse-breeding centre was reached in 1895, when the 

 official returns show Ireland's equine population to have amounted to 

 630,287. The subjoined Table shows the average numbers of horses in the 

 country at each decennial period since 185 1 : — 



No. of Horses 

 Year. in Ireland, 



1851, . - . - 521,706 



1861, _ - - - 614,232 



1871, _ _ - _ 538,095 



1881, . _ - _ 548,354 



189I, - _ _ - 592,819 



I9OI, . - - - 564,916 



The official returns do not give any clue to the respective numbers of the 

 various breeds or types of horses in the country. All the information as to 

 classes available is that a certain number were employed for agricultural 

 purposes, a certain number for traffic and manufactures, and a certain num- 

 ber for recreation and amusement. The figures given under this heading 

 for last year are as under : — 



Agricultural purposes, - - 354-750 



Traffic and manufactures, - - 46,443 



Recreation and amusement, - - 27,043 



One and under two-year olds, - 73.691 



Under one-year olds, - - 62,989 



Total, 564,916 



Though no particular county or district can be said to enjoy special dis- 

 tinction for the production of any of the breeds of horses already referred to 

 as bred in the country, Ireland may be divided into four separate horse- 

 breeding areas. These may be arranged as under : — 



(i.) The eastern seaboard from Wexford to Londonderry, for heavy 

 cart horses ; 



