64 
was given before the Select Committee on 
Gaming which was appointed in 1844. Mr. 
John Day gave it as his opinion that the 
breed of horses had much improved during 
the twenty to twenty-five years preceding, 
the improvement being apparent in riding 
and draught horses. Mr. Richard Tattersall 
shared Mr. Day’s opinion as regarded im- 
provement, but thought fewer horses were 
bred. About 1836 or 1837 farmers were in 
such a state that they could not, or did 
not think it worth while to breed; by 
consequence the industry had fallen off 
and there was a scarcity. Railways, in 
Mr. Tattersall’s opinion, had affected the 
market. ‘‘The middling sort does not sell 
in consequence of railways; horses that 
used to fetch £40 now bring £17 or £18.” 
Riding horses sold better than the middling 
class, but hunters did not fetch half the price 
they did in former years. 
The result of this investigation, as far as 
the horse question is concerned, was briefly 
summarised in the following passage of the 
Third Report of the Lords’ Committee. 
They thought it desirable that this amuse- 
ment should be upheld, ‘because, without 
the stimulus which racing affords, it would 
be difficult, if not impossible, to maintain 
