76 BREEDING ARMY HORSES. 



serviceable — the English thoroughbred horse, 

 which is nothing more or less than the same 

 thing, modified by our climatic conditions 

 and system of keeping. The ideal light 

 cavalry mount for modern warfare is a small, 

 active, well-bred mare or gelding, with a 

 dash of pony ploofi to make him hardy and 

 handy ; and such, by the establishment of 

 the haras, could be bred in considerable 

 numbers by crossing the slower and sounder 

 of our thoroughbred sires with stout cob and 

 galloway mares, such as are still to be found 

 in Wales, Devonshire, and in some parts of 

 the north of England. Whenever a civilian 

 is so fortunate as to get hold of one bred 

 like this, he invariably tells you (no matter 

 his weight) it is the best he ever rode, and 

 I feel fairly confident that military experience 

 of such horses would be about the same. 

 Veterans would possibly complain at first of 

 their lack of weight and size for military 

 purposes ; but the conditions of cavalry service 



