GOO Report upon the Exhibition of Horses at Kilburn. 
singular (iegree — powerful loins, deep ribs, foir crest, big liocks and knees, and 
absiiiceof lumber. Strength was manifest iu ever^- part of it, and there was 
110 falling off anywhere. The second prize was awiirdtd to " Blo.-soni," another 
powerful animal of the Poitou breed, 11 years old, worthy of all praise, but 
ijot so compact as the former. Tins mule had evidently been worked hard, 
and had not been prepared for exliibition. 'J'lie thiid prize went to " Brunette," 
also a Poitou mule of much the same character ; ] oints falling olT a little ; but 
all liiree animals, which were sent by the same gtntlenian, C. L. .Sutherland, 
Esq., were grand, and it was no disgiace to tlie Duke of I'eaufort, Lord Arthur 
Cecil, Mr. Hodsoll, Mr. Pease, and others, to have failed in coii;parison. Il 
suui;ested itself to me that the build of these animals peculiarly ada|)ted them 
for heavy traction purposes — say foraitillery. No. 716 was highly commended 
and placed as the reserved number. 
Class 54. Mules, not excetdin;/ 15 hands, for General Purposes. — The first 
prize was given to an eight-year-old piebald, bred in Kentucky, the pro- 
] erty of Mr. Sutherland. The character of all in this class was to be lighter 
than ill Class 53, as well as not to be so high. They looked more active, and 
the first prize had a remaikably thoroughbred appearance and carriage, 
suggestive of good blood on the dam's side, and fitness fur fast hack and harness 
jiurposes. He had evidently been actively enii.loyed, and though somewhat 
sli:;ht, he was well-knit, and had a hardy, wire and whalebone look about 
him that clearly pointed to pace as wi ll as to endurance. The second 
prize was given to a brown lour-year-old, bred by Sir George Elliot, M.P., 
lioin a Welsh mare pony by an Egyptian sire. The third prize was obtained 
by a mule shown by the Duke of Beaufort ; age aud pedigree unknown. It 
had good general quahty, as also had mnks shown by the Ayleshury Dairy 
Company, and Sir George Elliot. The animals iu this class fully carried out 
the conditions of " usefulness," and gave the impression of being most valuable 
fur .-peed and endurance in fight vehicles; but their build might not so well 
fit them lor carrying. Ko less than eight in this class obtaiued the favourable 
notice of the Judges. 
'1 he general considerations of comparative usefulness suggested by this 
exhibition are that mules as a whole aie much better atiapted fur draught than 
for carrying purposes ; and, looking to the peculiar leatuns of the animals used 
lor bleeding, that the Poitou donkex , as a sire, is loose in loin, long in pastern, 
and slack in other points, a little strength being sacrificed to obtain size, 
which the Poitou and no other donkey gives. For general jiurposes I cannot 
he lp thinking that the Syrian ass, as a sire, should give the best quality, as 
h i\ ing a better back, better legs and feet, less lumber, and a ckauer and 
smarter appearance. Spaniards use this smaller-sized liiiht mule iu teams for 
diligences, and where swift traction is required. 'J'lie Ameiiciins use the 
] oueriul or light mule extensively for the particular work they require, and 
they value the creature exceedingly, as standing neglect better ihau the horse, 
w hile he is available for a greater number of years, and is less liable to 
sickness and deterioration. Mules have doubtless fits of ubstinacy, but they 
Lave a well-established character for steady work, at which they do not chafe 
and liet. They would seem to be peculiar in the lactthat they will not thrive 
ou wet glass, notably Gapo grass ; while they gel on well wiili dry Ibod, Ihe 
ir.ain advantage of mules would seem to be a c-ipability for far more years of 
ste. dy hard woik than a horse could possibly go throu.h, and in ail (iroba- 
bility doing with less food, but most assuredly with a greater immunity from 
maladies. I got many of these f ids from i;cisoiial observation in Mexico and 
the Biazils, where mules are almost exclusively employed both lor traction 
and for carrying purposes; and the Mexicans and lirazilians find their 
account in using mustangs as dams ; but my cx[x;rieuce, it is only fair to say, 
