age of 3 off to rising 5. CapLain Hayes says of a batch of 800' 

 Remounts which had been sent in by the buyers a few days 

 before : — 



"As these dragoon Remounts average about 15. i J, they are somewhat 

 small, and to English eyes would probably appear at first sight rather 

 light ; but closer inspection shows that they have capital bone, are 

 compactly built, and have no superfluous lumber to carry. They are, 

 with very few exceptions, entirely free from cart blood, and consequently, 

 if their fore-legs in some cases seem a bit deficient below the knee, the 

 back tendons run more or less parallel to the cannon bone, and we find 

 no coarseness about the fetlocks, which is evidence of inability to stand 

 work under the saddle. These Russian Remounts have, as a rule, short 

 backs, muscular loins, good feet, fairly small heads, and are well ribbed 

 up. They are particularly good across the loins, which is a point that 

 receives much attention from Russian breeders. Formerly the horses of 

 the Don, from which country the best Remounts are obtained, were 

 generally "back at the knees " — "calf-kneed "—but this defect has been 

 almost entirely eliminated by careful crossing. The members of the 

 selection committees, which pass or reject the animals brought up by the 

 buyers of Remounts, are specially critical as regards the quality of the 

 pasterns. On the whole, they have very good fore-legs. Their shoulders 

 are inclined to be short ; but their worst point is undoubtedly their hocks, 

 which in many instances are weak, too much bent (sickle-hooked) or 

 inclined to curb. These Remounts, especially those which come from the 

 country of the Don, have a strong infusion of Arab blood, with a dash of 

 the Thoroughbred. They are essentially saddle-horses bred for cavalry 

 purposes ; the Russian horses are reared under conditions of privation 

 and hard work to get their living, and are consequently more useful as 

 slaves and campaigners than they appear to be." 



With regard to Captain Hayes' reference to Arab and 

 Thoroughbred blood, it must be observed that four ■■'• of the 

 iifteen Imperial stallion depots are situated in the horse- 

 breeding regions of the Don. 



* Khrenovoi (distributing ino stallions) ; Tambov (60) ; Kharkov (60), 

 and .Saratov (50). ■' 



48 



