the breeding from inferior stallions. Since i860 there has been a 

 desire to breed from Thoroughbreds only. Unfortiinately the stand- 

 ard of earlier breeders was lost sight of; a fashionable pedigree 

 was insisted upon with utter disregard of bone, , power and other 

 desirable qualities ; all was sacrificed for blood and a very inferior 

 animal was obtained, which was fittingly branded by the more in- 

 telligent breeders as "blood weeds." 



In the company they met with at the Cape these "blood weeds" 

 had some success on the race course and were sought for as breeders 

 and in this way they spread their harmful influences far and wide 

 over the land. Their offspring could not stand the tear and wear 

 of the veld conditions so well as those of the sires of previous gen- 

 erations, in which plenty of bone, girth, size and good conformation 

 had to be on a par with good pedigree and race course record in 

 order to be eligible for breeders. The progeny of these peacocky 

 and weedy sires soon convinced the farmers of their illusions and 

 a great attempt was made to rectify their blunders. 



A select Committee of the best breeders was appointed to in- 

 vestigate matters. The various possible causes for the deterioration 

 of the breed were investigated and it was found that want of size 

 was the most common failure and general complaint of the remount 

 officers in India. Any large breed of animals decreases in size, 

 unless supplied with abundance of food and unless a stream of 

 fresh blood of the best strain is infused into the original stock from 

 time to time. The deterioration in size is more true of the progeny 

 of half-bred sires than of pure-bred ones. 



The several breeds of horses, pure-breds as well as half-breds 

 were considered with the view to select the best sore for the improve- 

 ment of the fast declining breed. The average Cape mare has breed- 

 ing enough and the half-breed sire does not breed true to type and 

 the transmission of size, for which he will mainly be used will not 

 be so permanent and reliable as is desired. The pure-breds that 

 were considered the best were the Arab and the Thoroughbred and 

 even the Arab although one of the best possible sires was put out of 

 the field on the argument that after all it was not so much quality 

 that was wanted but size and this he could not supply. 



The Thoroughbred was pointed out as the best sire. His bones 

 are firmer and more compact in their texture, his muscles are of 

 finer quality and comparatively greater power, his heart is larger 



39 



