520 Report on the Riding Horses and Ponies slioion at Canterbury, 
Cleveland mare, by which cross, as I said above, the hunting 
blood has been contaminated and half spoilt. 
Having so far suggested what I conceive must be an ad- 
vantage to the Class I. — the opening it to any horse of high class 
most fitted to get hunters — I would say a few words on the other 
classes : those for hackneys, ponies, and, though last, not least in 
importance, brood mares. 
If there is one animal more difficult to get than another, it is 
the old-fashioned hackney, combining blood with power and 
moderate height. This class at Canterbury was of the worst 
sort ; but at the Yorkshire meetings I saw them come out in 
great force, though even in the most favoured districts I cannot 
award to them much praise. The old-fashioned hackney has 
nearly degenerated into the coarse, vulgar, butcher's horse, Avith 
generally coarse head and hairy heels. It is, in fact, a very 
chance-bred horse ; and though one now and then sees a blood- 
like cob, it is quite a rarity. This class surely should be en- 
couraged at the Royal Agricultural Show, and a 30Z. prize 
would not be thrown away upon it. As to the prize for 
ponies, I recommend that it be withdrawn and the amount added 
to those assigned to more useful classes. This does not of 
course apply to meetings held in Welsh or other pony-rearing 
districts : although at Chester meeting, as I remember, the ponies 
presented but a sorry show. 
Leaving to others the duty of discussing the merits of the 
agricultural horse, and of calling that attention which the im- 
portance of the subject demands, to the fearful amount of un- 
soundness which existed among the cart stallions exhibited at 
Canterbury, I come to the class of hunting, hackney, and harness 
mares : one which, as I hold, requires the patronage of the Society 
more than any other, except that last alluded to — the Society's 
natural bantling. Our stallions throughout England are, com- 
paratively speaking, much sought after — much canvassed, and 
though not half weeded out as they ought to be, still pretty well 
selected. On the whole there is to be found among them more 
than an average amount of merit. But our mares are wofully 
neglected — sold abroad, and not half valued as they should be. 
Many a half-bred mare is a mine of wealth to a farmer, if she is 
only the right and not the lorong sort, and if he gives her the 
chance of a good stallion. I am more inclined to rely on finding 
in the progeny those good qualities which they would naturally 
inherit from the dam's side than from that of the horse. I 
have seen both half-bred and thoroughbred mares that threw 
good foals to various horses, but yet all possessing merit. 
I should like to see two 50/. prizes given — one for the best 
