Breeding of Hunters and Roadsters. 
351 
further scope to the experiment, which has not as yet shown the 
promise of much fruit. Indeed, there now appear some signs, 
if not conclusive evidence, to show, that not only no good end 
is likely to result, but that this large prize tends rather to defeat 
the object for which it was so liberally set on foot. Without 
some annexed conditions, no guarantee is afforded that the reci- 
pient of the money uses his horse so as to make him available 
for the breedeis of hunters and roadsters. The large prize has 
either fallen on a horse of high renown, which was serving mares 
at a fee such as none but breeders for the turf can afford to pay ; 
or else it has been given to a young horse which should have 
won his way to favour gradually by his merits, and thereon 
the price for his services is increased to an amount which places 
him quite beyond the means of breeders of hunters. 
Unconditionally as this prize is given, any one of the re- 
nowned stallions which covers at from lOZ. to 50/. may be 
walked to the yard and obtain the prize, thereby deterring the 
owners of more eligible horses from going to the expense and 
trouble of bringing them to encounter defeat. The line of dis- 
tinction drawn between the first prize-horse and his competitors 
is frequently also too broad ; and this leads to discontent and 
complaint against the decision of the judges. The tendency of 
this prize, then, seems on the whole to be rather to deter than 
encourage the keepers of really useful country stallions. Indeed, 
it may be questioned whether the whole system of awarding 
prizes to stallions by the local agricultural societies of England 
for some years past has not tended to exhaust the means for 
procuring a good horse. 
Prizes, when given without restrictive clauses, act as an adver- 
tising medium, to such an extent that the prize-horses of one 
year have very rarely been found in England the next season ; 
and as premiums are usually given at the age of three and 
four years, the animal has been of little service prior to exhibi- 
tion and sale : prize-mares go abroad as well as stallions ; so 
there are few good mares to breed stallions from, and still fewer 
good stallions to get fillies. 
It must be acknowledged that the blood-stallion has not been 
so much affected by these measures as the half-bred horse ; whilst 
in the cart-horse class the system has worked well, inasmuch as 
there is little demand for them on the Continent; and the Scottish 
Agricultural Societies, particularly, take care that the horses, ac- 
cording as they obtain first, second, and third prizes, shall be 
located in such districts as the Society directs ; and if the same 
course had been followed in Yorkshire and other districts in 
England, our beautiful nag-sires would have been retained for at 
VOL. XXIV. 2 A 
