120 ENGLAND'S HORSES, 



many years in the Austrian Service, and one of the best judges of 

 horses met with, and who was constantly employed for purchase 

 of horses for the cavalry in Austria, and of horses, stallions, and 

 mares (thorough-bred), obtained from this country for the Aus- 

 trian Government, and who has attended many of our agricultural 

 shows. The Colonel tells me that they have about 4,000 stallions 

 covering gratis, or at a mere nominal fee, for the Government. 

 They have no prior claim on the produce. The re-mount depart- 

 ment of the State purchases, as any one else, in the open market, 

 at about the following prices : — Heavy cavalry and heavy artillery 

 at about ^632 ; light cavalry, £25 ; pack horses, £15. I believe 

 they buy nothing under four or five years old. In 1854, he pur- 

 chased in one district for the re-mount 15,000 horses in about 

 four weeks at those prices, and good useful horses, which were all 

 passed by the officers appointed, who are very particular. 



There are several public breeeding studs. 



The stud at Kisberr was established by the present Emperor, 

 and is entirely of English blood. For this stud were bought 

 Buccaneer for 3,000 guineas; Ostregor, I sold for 3,000 guineas; 

 Teddington (Derby winner), 1,400 guineas ; Daniel O'Rourke 

 (Derby winner), 800 guineas ; Sabreur, Codrington, Oakball, and 

 others, high-class thorough-bred horses, amounting from twenty 

 to twenty-five in number, all bought since 1860. Forty thorough- 

 bred mares were purchased for this stud at an average of 200 

 guineas each, at Sir Tatton Sykes's sale alone, and many others 

 partly thorough-bred, partly half-bred mares, amounting to be- 

 tween 300 and 400. Besides, the Colonel purchased in two or 

 three years about 150 mares, the best of the old Irish blood, for 

 Austria. He would not huy half-bred English mares, however good- 

 loohing, for this stud, because he could not depend on their back blood, 

 and was afraid of their throwing back to the cart or under-bred 

 horse, and so prove soft and slow and therefore bad. 



From this stud, commencing from the best stallions from 

 England, are bred the stallions which are sent into the country 

 to breed from, so that Austria and Hungary deserve to have, and 

 have good horses. 



