546 PURCHASE OF HORSES FOR THE ARMY IN INDIA. 
“ The gelding, on the Cape Town road, when put in condition, will gene- 
rally shy very much under the saddle, and therefore is not liked ; but in a 
team he has high courage, and in a body, as a trooper, he will face anything. 
The way in which a team of eight or ten geldings in a wagon will plunge 
into a flooded river up to their breasts or backs, and go straight to the 
other side without swerving, and dash up the opposite steep bank, shows 
their courage and trueness of draught. 
“ Their fitness for troopers was well shown at the review, by the Gover- 
nor, of the Yolunteers at Stellenbosch last year, when the farmers’ horses 
charged repeatedly up to the squares of infantry, under their fire and that' 
of two howitzers, and stood, many of them, while their riders cut at the 
bayonets of the square. Nothing could be finer on the part of the horses 
or their riders, and called forth the marked approbation of the Governor in 
a General Order. 
“ Of the horses lately sent to India by the Remount Agents, the far 
greater number were geldings, and as they are not so well known in India 
as stallions, there may be some little prejudice against them at first ; but 
when they have been fairly tried, their excellence as troopers or artillery 
horses will be acknowledged by all impartial persons. 
“ It may seem paradoxical to think that a Cape gelding upon the whole 
and for all work is superior to a stallion — to a horse as nature formed him ; 
but this arises from the one being reared according to nature, and the other 
being badly reared in an artificial manner, which stabling from two years 
old must be considered. 
“ No doubt, if a stallion had the same advantages, he would be the 
superior horse. As it is, a stallion in condition will stand a harder run 
with the hounds; but as a trooper, or as a travelling horse, he will, 
perhaps, knock up sooner, because he does not give himself the same 
rest, or feed as quickly when off-saddled or picqueted. When in company 
with other horses he then frets and squeals, and loses his time when he 
should be resting and feeding. A gelding, on the contrary, takes his roll, 
and sets to work to eat whatever he can get, and rests all the time he is 
allowed. Upon the whole, therefore, it will be found that the gelding, 
notwithstanding his appearance, is the most serviceable horse for the army. 
“ I have ventured to give the opinions I have formed after twelve years’ 
experience and observation of Cape horses. I may be wrong in some 
points, but I put them forth for discussion, for contradiction if they re- 
quire it, because the subject is of vast and of equal importance both to 
India and to the Cape, and cannot be too much discussed and ventilated, 
so that the real and valuable points and qualities of the Cape horse, his 
breeding and rearing, may be understood, and mistakes and wrong ideas 
corrected. 
“I commend this important matter to better judges than myself, and to 
men of more experience, feeling that it well deserves their attention.” 
In Colonel Apperley’s answer to the above, occur the fol- 
lowing observations : 
“ Your memorandum, which forms a preface to the correspondence and 
opinions of former remount agents, and their system of purchasing army 
horses, throws much light upon the subject, particularly with reference to 
the capabilities of the colony to supply the Indian army to a very large ex- 
tent with the description of horse that has proved itself to stand the climate, 
and in other respects to be well adapted for that service. 
“You very justly observe, that Cape horses are peculiar animals ; but I 
