938 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



for the first supply of horses for a campaign — we say ' first 

 supply ' for the reason that only a limited number is 

 obtainable; no firm can afford to register to such an 

 extent as would paralyze its operations if the animals were 

 suddenly withdrawn. 



There is, however, one weak point, and that is the 

 supply of riding horses. Obviously this is not the class 

 employed commercially, excepting in the case of hansom 

 cabs, while the number of patriotic private owners pre- 

 pared to part with valuable saddle horses at remount 

 price is necessarily small. 



But, as a matter of fact, we do not consider that even 

 this class would be difficult to obtain if the first essential 

 element to success existed, viz., a horse census. Eighteen 

 years ago, in the first edition of this book, we urged the 

 necessity for an animal census. Some returns are avail- 

 able — for instance, horses used for agricultural purposes 

 and brood mares, but this information is of no use for any 

 practical purpose. It seems extraordinary that we, of all 

 nations, should have neglected this very obvious informa- 

 tion, which is really the basis of all large horse questions. 



We should know how many of each age are living on 

 any fixed date, their classification into draught and saddle, 

 and, if possible, their sub-classification into heavy and 

 medium draught, weight-carriers, or light saddle work. 

 Thoroughbred stock should in these returns be kept quite 

 distinct. With this information arranged in counties by 

 the Board of Agriculture, there would be no difficulty in 

 knowing where to look for the likely class of horse required. 

 To obtain them when found, unless registered, is another 

 matter, and might require special Parliamentary powers. 



By whatever means the first supply of horses is obtained, 

 the next essential step is to know where to obtain successive 

 supplies, and here again the census returns would prove a 

 valuable help for home purchases, while the Intelligence 

 Department would have prepared the available sources of 

 supply in other countries, and to these places would be 

 despatched the purchasing staff. 



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