2IO MANAGEMENT AND BREEDING OF HORSES 



by tte establishment of a government breeding stud at 

 Tervueren. Since that date the government has given 

 special attention to the improvement of draft horses. The 

 sum of about 400,000 francs ($75,000) is annually ex- 

 pended in behalf of this work. Much of this money is 

 av^rarded as prizes at horse shows, which are controlled 

 by provincial regulations and which occur in about 50 

 different places. Foals, mares and stallions are each 

 recognized, and an idea of the extent and influence may 

 be gained by a brief review of the stallion regulations. 



At each show a first and second prize is awarded to both 

 three-year-old and aged stallions, which includes all 

 stallions four years old and over. In the three-year-old 

 class the first prize is 400 francs and the second 300 

 francs, while in the aged class the first is 550 francs and 

 the second 400 francs. Further, the examining committee 

 may award a maintenance bounty of 700 francs to an aged 

 stallion that has won a first prize at a previous annual 

 show. A similar prize of 500 francs may be awarded to 

 an aged stallion that has won second place for two years. 

 The committee may nominate exceptional stallions that 

 have won bounty prizes, to compete for a grand prize of 

 6,000 francs, payable annually by fifths, so long as the 

 animals remain approved. At the end of the five years 

 the owner of such a stallion, if remaining approved, may 

 draw an annual bount)' of from 600 to 800 francs. 



In order to retain the best stallions in Belgium the regu- 

 lations provide that in case a stallion, which has received 

 the 6,000 francs bounty, is sold to leave the country, the 

 fifths already received by the owner must be returned 

 to the state treasury. In addition to all this there are 

 other extra prizes that may be awarded to stallions that 

 win a first or a second prize as well as to stallions of sub- 

 ordinate rank. Bounties for maintenance may also be 

 awarded to the owners of the best mares in order to retain 

 them in the country. 



