Continued and unintelligent cross-breeding has been the ruin 

 of our horse stock and it is high time to realize that only by a 

 system of strict selection can we ultimately establish the breed and 

 class of horse that will best suit our requirements and our climate. 

 Infusions of fresh blood will only be of advantage from allied 

 strains, such as the Thoroughbred and the Arab ; from these almost 

 every breed of horses has been produced by selection, but to cross 

 breed any of these very different breeds (draft and light) -to-day, 

 except those of very close affinity, would show the utmost disregard 

 of the elementary principles of breeding. 



General Sir John Watson reviewing aU the literature on horse 

 breeding in India and speaking with great experience comes to 

 the conclusion that "to create an Anglo-Indian type of horse cap- 

 able of reproducing itself can never succeed; the endeavor has 

 been persevered in for a century, has failed and will fail ; for we 

 are fighting against nature and nature will beat us in the long run. 

 Climate and the prevailing normal conditions of life are paramount 

 in determining what the size and character of the horse of any 

 country shall be."^* 



The India Horse Breeding Commission of 1900 making an ex- 

 tensive survey of the horse material finds that "the most important 

 point that invites attention is the existence of several breeds of 

 horses which are pure and in the Commission's judgment they are 

 well worth preserving. Thse breeds are now being improved under 

 conditions as nature designed them, and without the admixture of 

 Thoroughbred blood which has proved, during recent years at all 

 events, of very doubtful advantage. Economy and efficiency alike 

 point to the wisdom of turning over a new leaf altogether and dis- 

 carding the use of alien sires other than Arabs of the best breed." 



The remark on the Thoroughbred as a sire has long been shared 

 in South Africa and experts have always been careful to lay re- 

 strictions on him and to speak of the ' ' right type of Thoroughbred ' ' 

 always meaning compactness, stoutness, great weight-carrying 

 power and all such points as would distinguish him from the mere 

 racer or "blood weed." 



The enlarged structure of the Thoroughbred is an acquired one 

 — artificially bred into him — and in the endeavors of this, sight was 

 lost of the other imported qualities and to-day we know that in- 

 creased height certainly does not involve increased strength in all 

 (54) Sir Walter Gilbey "Horse Brc^-'Unr -'n England and India" 1906. 



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