III.-CHINA. 



[ExtRic-t fioiii "ZiK-lit iiMci Ui-moiitiiuiii; tier Jlilitar-l'lVnh- allc-r Staateii," by Dr. Paul Goldbeck, 



Berlin, 1901.] 



As in the greater part of Eastern Asia, the horses of China 

 are small, with the exception of those from Turkestan, which 

 are somewhat larger. The following races are distinguished : 



(1) The Manchurian race, seldom over 12 hands high. These 

 are enduring little animals and are very sure-footed in rough, 

 difficult country. They are used almost entirely as remounts 

 for the Chinese cavalry, especially in the broken country of 

 northern China. 



(2) The West-Mongolian horses. These are considerably 

 larger, sometimes 15f to 16f hands high, but they are genuine 

 steppe horses and useless in mountainous countries. 



The methods of breeding in Mongolia and Manchuria — 

 which, by the way, are the only parts of China where horse 

 breeding is carried on — is mostly the unrestrained breeding in 

 herds. Although the Chinese settlers raise some horses on 

 their farms, the native Mongol allows his herd (often number- 

 ing 1,000 head) to run wild on the range generally without even 

 a herder. Owing to the extreme cold of winter nights, these 

 horses have very long coats (sometimes measuring 2 inches 

 in length) which give them a shaggy appearance. They live 

 by grazing on the steppe grass summer and winter. The 

 Mongol, being zealous to preserve his breed of horses for 

 himself, sells only geldings — never stallions or mares. The 

 geldings are sold by small breeders direct to soldiers or freight- 

 ers. The large owners sell only in lots to dealers. 



The price of horses varies from $10 to $24. The principal 

 feed consists of a kind of rice mixed with small black beans. 

 Clover, mixed with chopped straw and dampened, is used as 

 fodder. Hay is unknown to the Chinaman ; grass is seldom 

 used, and oats are raised only in the northernmost regions for 

 export to Russia. 



In the whole southern part of China horses are seldom found 

 even as domestic animals, asses and mules being preferred for 



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