AusTRALiAX Horses. 149 



stouter, are the Beach ponies, brought from the island of Chincohque, a long, comparatively- 

 waste on the Atlantic sea-board, where they roam about in large herds, wild as the mustangs 

 on the prairies of Northern Mexico. Since their capacity for work, high courage, and sure- 

 footedness have become known they have become expensive. Ten of the Beach ponies 

 which I saw at Baltimore reminded me much of the admirable ponies which are found 

 in Morocco. The outline, topping shape of head, and setting on of both, were the same. 

 Their origin is unknown. Probably they are of Spanish breed, bred originally in Mexico."* 







AUSTRALIAN HORSES. 



The Australian colonies had horses equal to any in the world either for useful or ornamental 

 purposes. (I said "have" in my first edition, but in this I correct my error.) The first settlers 

 imported them chiefly from the Cape and from Valparaiso. These were crossed with the 

 thoroughbred sires imported from the mother country. 



The country was as favourable to the multiplication of horses as the plains of South America, 

 and the breed came of a better stock than the Spanish. One of the principal pursuits of the 

 colonists— rearing cattle— required good horsemen, and these, being Englishmen, lost no time in 

 establishing horse-races ; indeed, it has been asserted that in 1870 the stakes run for at the races 

 of the Australian colonies exceeded in value those of all the governments of the Continent put 

 together ; without counting the catch-weight races which are held whenever a few stockmen— that 

 is, cattle herdsmen — are gathered together. 



As the colonists grew rich, they indulged, amongst other luxuries, in the importation of 

 thoroughbred horses and marcs, purchased in England at the highest prices of the day. The 

 consequence is that the three colonies of New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia are well 

 provided with blood-horses of the purest pedigree ; and Queensland, the great island of Tasmania, 

 and New Zealand (the Britain of the South) have race-meetings conducted with all the English 

 forms and ceremonies. The Australian bush horses are equal in powers of endurance to anythmg 

 recorded in equine history, but in other respects, in consequence of the manner in which they 

 have been treated, they have deteriorated, and are inferior in quality and symmetry to the 

 small select stock of riding-horses raised when New South Wales and Tasmania were the only 

 colonies in that region. 



Of late years some very fine Arabs have been imported by Australian colonists, but not 

 enough is known at present to state anything certain of the results. If anywhere, the desert 

 Arab transplanted should find a congenial home in the hot plains of Australia. 



There was a considerable trade in the export of Australian horses to India for military 

 and racing purposes, where they are familiarly known as " Walers," an abbreviation of " New 

 South Wales," but that trade has recently declined in importance. 



The Australian horse has deservedly the reputation, both at home and in India, of being 

 vicious, especially for a trick of spitefully plunging (colonially, " buck-jumping "). 



The explanation is simple enough. The breed has not the placid temperament of the Spanish 

 horse, will not bear the brutal treatment under which the Spaniard cowers and trembles. 



" Time and labour," said Colonel Mundy, in 1847, "are precious in these colonies. Each poor 

 brute is broken by force in a few days. He is handled, lunged, backed, and turned out a ' made 

 horse;' broken in spirit, or a 'buck-jumper' for life. The Australian buck-jumper, reaching 

 his back, bounding into the air, and descending on four stiffened legs, with his nose between 



• Parker Gilmore. 



