Speaking of the purchase of large numbers of horses in foreign 

 countries by the remount agents — Sir Walter Gilbey remarks that 

 "had the demand been made for ponies a very large proportion 

 could have been cheaply and quickly been bought in England for 

 their mode of life would have suited them very well for 'roughing 

 it' in South Africa." In peace time this type of horse will do more 

 general farm work than his pampered brother of a hand or more 

 higher. 



For economic reasons this fact cannot be impressed on South 

 African breeders too much ; namely, that : increased structure and 

 height does not imply increased utility in all directions. It is the 

 general opinion to-day of every expert on the matter that the Thor- 

 oughbred with his increased height attained at the present time 

 has lost in great measure the qualities possessed by his smaller an- 

 cestors.^^ Some of the best breeders of Arabs found no difficulty in 

 grading them up a couple of inches ; but they found that when this 

 had been done the bigger horses were in no way better, stronger or 

 stouter than Arabs of normal size.^* 



The experience of a great trainer of race horses favors small 

 horses : ' ' As a rule you may get fifty good small horses for one good 

 large one and the smaller ones stick to the course longer than the 

 large ones. A good big horse may beat a good small horse over a 

 short course, but I think at three or four miles a good little one 

 would beat the best big one I ever saw." In forty years of exper- 

 ience he recalls only one good stallion above or about 16 hands — 

 Stockwell — "Both for the race course and the stud the small horse 

 is the best."^° 



The experience of hunters, explorers, horsemen and campaign- 

 ers will be unanimous in showing that small, compact, well-muscled 

 horses between 13.2-14.2 hands high are those on which reliance can 

 be placed for hard, continuous work on scanty food. 



Sir Richard Green Price speaking of many years experience as 

 a cavalry leader remarks that "small horses will beat moderate 

 horses double their size and few of our present cavalry horses will 

 live with them in a campaign — they are more easily taught, handled 

 and mounted than bigger horses and with twice their constitution 

 and thrice their sense. "^^ 



(13) Compare: Sir Walter Gilbey 's Worlcs. 



(14) See Scavjen Blunt in "Small Horses in Warfare". 



(15) William Day "The Bace-Horse in Training." 



(16) Bailey's Magazine in "Small Hor^e^ in Warfare". 



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