After the war tens of thousands of horses amongst which num- 

 ber a large amount of mares were sold to the farmers by the military 

 authorities, they represented a polyglot collection from almost every 

 part of the world and the greater majority of these were inferior 

 even to the average Cape Horse as the Official Remount Report 

 issued after the war will show. Extracts from this report will in 

 some measure give an estimation of a large bulk of the material 

 that went to build up the industry after the war. 



"Generally a good compact, true made, bigbarrelled horse on 

 short legs with a certain amount of quality of any nationality ex 

 cept the Argentine — which must have some horrible strains of blood 

 in his veins — did v.-ell.""^ 



South Africans : There were very few South Africans that 

 can be called horses except from Natal ; but whenever we did get 

 on'e, he was the best. A hard, wiry, wellbred animal, very quiet 

 and able to take care of himself on the veld and in the line on the 

 worst of forage and water. 



Australians : The animals were disappointing on the whole. 

 The typical Waler was of course light on the leg, ewe-necked and 

 angular. The draft horse was a positive scandal. 



Canadians : Many were barouche horses ; high on the leg and 

 slack corn made animals, possessed of some quality. 



Hungarians : They were strong little animals, full of quality 

 but failures and universally condemned as "flatcatchers." 



Indians : The country horse is too soft and excitable and very 

 little good for campaigning. The Arabs and Walers from India 

 were excellent, nothing could beat the Arab. 



Americans: Varied greatly, many were capital light cavalry 

 horses with great substance and quality. 



British : The general superiority of the British over the other 

 imported animals is greatly due to his having been habitually corn 

 fed and regularly worked before embarkation. He is truer made 

 and rounder ribbed. For draft purposes he was excellent ; but for 

 riding many were too long in the leg. 



A similar report is given for cobs and in that company the 

 Cape Horse and his types he](_l their own as well as among the 

 horses. 



' ' The South African cob is unsurpassed for Mounted Infantry 

 work. They are hardy, active animals, require no care, they live 

 (102) Transvaal Agricultural Journal, Vol. I. Official Bemount Report 1901-S. 



56 



