must be nodified and with an intelligent application of new meth- 

 ods to older and well tried ones there surely need be no overlapping 

 of the several industiies nor the exclusion of the one at the expense 

 and detriment of the other; we should be more resourceful and 

 wise enough to meet such demands as would be well worth the 

 extra trouble. Whatever, though, we do, we should not omit those 

 methods which have riiade the Cape Horse the equal and often 

 a better in the company of any breed of horses when hardiness, 

 endurance and stamina were called for. We should supply his 

 just wants, without any cuddling and peppering which may tend 

 to make him a "soft animal", like his brother in Europe and 

 other countries, thereby making him more susceptible to disease 

 than otherwise. He should be as much as possible a product of 

 Nature. This is the lesson of the past that should not be forgotten 

 when the new and very necessary methods become more general. 

 Another lesson from the days when horse-breeding was in its zenith 

 is the selection of stallions which after fulfilling all the ordinary 

 requirements of pedigree, height, bone, conformation and race 

 course records will also prove their sterling qualities in their off- 

 spring. 



The gist of all tlie ad^'anced arguments and propounded theo- 

 ries on the question of deterioration of the Cape Horse as far as 

 they are concerned with the methods of improving the breed and 

 have also been practised to some extent, may be summed up in the 

 following sentences, giving extracts from articles written by various 

 experts on the matter. 



Veterinary Surgeon J. A. Nunn in a very interesting article 

 advises that some extra feeding must be done during the scanty 

 winter months. Special care should be given to the brood mares and 

 foals; it is practically of no use to feed the two-year-olds when 

 they have already been permanently stunted in growth by a course 

 of starvation ; they should be given some shelter during the severe 

 cold weather of the worst winter months and well fed for the first 

 two years and then allowed to take charge of themselves and increase 

 that hardiness and stamina which are the chief characteristics of 

 his breed." 



To resort to additional feeding for any length of time may not 

 be practicable, not economical and too expensive ; but it all depends 

 (14) Reports on the Horse Supply of South Africa — Archives 1888. 



70 



