directions as great weight-carrying powers, endurance and hardi- 

 ness. Considering the existing conditions of the country it would 

 seem that they demand a horse bred as close to the natural condi- 

 tions of the country as possible. By careful selection of well-bred 

 native sires and of Arabs and Thoroughbreds we will be able to in- 

 crease size and substance while it will be possible to preserve the 

 valuable qualities of the native bred dam. These qualities: the 

 hardiness, robustness of constitution, sureness of foot, ability to 

 thrive on poor feed are the natural outcome of conditions under 

 which the Cape Horse has been bred through centuries and to pre- 

 serve them in the young stock it will be necessary to rear the cross- 

 bred foals under conditions as nearly natural as their constitution 

 will allow. These conditions will vary for the several provinces to 

 some extent; but common and necessary ones will be the combina- 

 tion of great freedom with plenty available shelter and food. To 

 stable and feed them artificially would encourage undue physical 

 development while undermining that capacity for endurance and 

 hardship which has been once the greatest points in favor of the 

 Cape Horse. 



It is true that we import over eighty percent of heavj^ draft 

 horses for the cities and even the importation of mules is very high ; 

 but this does not justify the indiscriminate cross-breeding of heavy 

 sires with Cape Mares. The breeding of draft breeds for the cities 

 should be encouraged, and is also being done, but they should be kept 

 pure, or bred to exceptionally heavy Cape mares. 



Heavy breeds will not do for the farmers who are twenty and 

 more miles away from the railway station ; a light team trots there 

 and back and for the reasons already mentioned — health, speed, less 

 feed, endurance, etc. — this team is worth double the value of the 

 best team of heavies. 



The importation of mules is still a remainder of the many ir- 

 regularities caused by the war ; the stock of brood mares was mainly 

 employed for increasing the number of horses and as soon as the 

 main necessaries are supplied others will receive their due regard. 



The type of horse that will be of the greatest value to the 

 country as would be the case in any other country is the native 

 breed improved into such types as the various needs of the country 

 demands. This type will be produced most effectively by selection 

 and the adherence to the natural conditions of the country and not 

 by continued cross-breeding and artificial conditions. 



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