Horse-Breeding in Germany 



Prussia stands pre-eminent among the German States as 

 the horse-breeding region ; in fact, all the Government studs 

 and farms are situated in Prussia. 



The stallions for public service belonging to the State 

 numbered 3,194 in the year 1904; this shows a marked 

 increase on the strength of the studs during the last ten or 

 eleven years. In 1884, the State stallions numbered 2,152; 

 in 1896 the total number was about 2,600. These 3,194 

 stallions are distributed among 18 " Rural Studs," which, in 

 their turn, supply 1,045 covering stations, an increase of 146 

 since 1896-7. 



The stallions in 1904 were classed as follows : — 



Class I. Light Riding-Horses, 830 (including 100 English 

 Thoroughbreds, 12 Arabs and Anglo-Arabs). 



Class II. Heavy Riding or Light Draught-Horses, 1,660. 



Class III. Heavy Draught Horses, 704 (including 

 Percherons, Belgian and Ardennes horses ; Shires and 

 Clydesdales ; French and Norman, and German Farm-horses. 



Comparing these figures with those of 1896-7, given in 

 the former edition of this book, it appears that the German 

 Stud-masters, like the French, have of recent years learned 

 to depend less upon the English Thoroughbred. In 1896-7, 

 Class I. consisted of 419 light riding-hor.ses, of which 94, or 

 less than one-fourth, were Thoroughbreds ; the figures kindly 

 furnished me by the Inspector-General of Studs at Berlin 

 show that in 1904 Thoroughbred horses formed less than 

 one-eighth of the total. 



The principal object of the Prussian Government Stud 

 Department is to provide Remounts for the Arm^.' Of the 

 Remounts supplied in 1904, about 6,000 were" for cavalry; 

 and of these only 600 were got by Thoroughbred sires. 



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