487 
PRACTICAL HINTS ON THE SELECTION, TREATMENT 
AND TRAINING OF AUSTRALIAN REMOUNT HORSES IN 
INDIA. 
BY 
MAJOR J. HOTHAM, R.H.A. 
As many of my brother officers are constantly coming out to India and 
taking over batteries horsed with Australian horses, perhaps a few 
hints as to the selection, management and training of Australians 
may be of use to them. I have therefore tried to put on paper my own 
experiences on these subjects. 
The young Australian horse, for the first twelve months after his 
arrival in India, is a very delicate animal, and can easily be ruined 
both in constitution and temper. 
Twenty years ago a very rough, coarse, under-bredjlot of horses were 
imported for the Artillery, and on an average, five out of every twenty 
would be a buck-jumper, and give no end of trouble; now, on the 
contrary, few have this failing; the horses are far better bred than 
those in the home batteries, and although more spirited and not quite 
so steady in the ranks, or so easy to ride at first, are, if treated well 
from the beginning, the best, kindest and hardiest troopers in the 
world. 
I have seen most European services, but I have never seen batteries 
horsed as are our Royal Horse Artillery Batteries in India. 
Selection. 
Although as a rule the Government Remount Agents at the depots, 
who buy and select from the shippers, send off drafts to the different 
batteries to meet their demands, still it may often happen that a Major 
can manage (if he has the will) to go down to the depot and look round 
for himself, he may also by chance be asked to assist the Remount 
Officer to select Artillery horses at one of the ports of disembarkation. 
Now, it is but few men who have instinctively an eye for a horse, and 
though many a man may try to cultivate this gift, unless it be bred in 
him he will never thoroughly acquire it. 
Again, it is very hard, even for good judges to tell at a glance, with¬ 
out long practice, what a young, raw, grass-fed, half-starved colt will 
grow into. 
The most difficult of all horses to select are wheelers, especially for 
the Horse Artillery; you want blood, power, pace and stamina com¬ 
bined as far as possible. In selecting from a batch of raw four-year 
9. voi. xx. 
