Horse-Breeding in Austria 



In the year 1876 a Committee of Inquiry on Horse- 

 Breeding was appointed by the Austrian Government, and the 

 result of its investigations was the division of the whole country 

 into five districts, with the view of providing stallions suited 

 to the varying requirements of each. From Central Depots in 

 ■each of these five districts over 2,000 stallions are distributed 

 among 522 stations, each station accommodating from one to 

 ten stallions. There are no fewer than thirteen different breeds 

 ■of horse in use, and care is taken that each station shall 

 receive a stallion or stallions suited to local requirements. 



In fulfilment of the scheme suggested by this Com- 

 mittee, good local breeds are retained pure, approved stallions 

 of each being used for public service ; in districts where 

 the local breed have degenerated or stand in need of 

 improvement, the stallions are carefully chosen to raise the 

 general standard. Thus Thoroughbreds of English descent 

 but bred in the country are used on strong mares to supply 

 Remounts. In other districts Roadster, Clydesdalej-and Suffolk 

 stallions are sent to be mated with mares of a class to throw 

 heavy artillery riding and draught horses. 



In the mountainous regions, where small, active, and hardy 

 horses are required for draught and pack work, every endeavour 

 is made to keep the local breed pure. The Pinzaucv horses are 

 highly spoken of for such work in hilly districts ; they are very 

 ■strong and hardy, and have good action ; the lighter class trot 

 quite well enough to perform heavy carriage work over bad 

 ground. Their colour is peculiar — white or light, " splashed '' 

 with dark spots. 



In 1897 the Austrian State stud included, among other 

 .stalhons, 94 Enghsh Thoroughbreds, 766 Enghsh Half-breds, 

 and 208 Hackneys. 



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