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 Soutli 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 ; namel.v, 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 Eichard 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 Gilhey's Works. 



(14) See Scav)en Blunt in "Small Horses in Warfare". 



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



(16) Bailey's Magazine in "Small Horf!i>!t in Warfare". 



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