THE WAR HORSE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3134, 12 July 1917, Page 6

THE WAR HORSE

EFFECT OF KACING CUT. Tlie question of keeping up the supply of good horses, particularly horses useful in tho war, was dealt with by Mr. John Howe, president of the Trotting Conference on Tuesday. Mr. Howe said that long before the war he had often referred to the danger of the horse-breed-ing industry should racing ever be interfered with, and to tho state of the coun T try in consequence, if it should need horses for military purposes. Now that ■we were a nation in arms, no argument was needed, he said, to prove that a necessary part of war equipment is an adequate and continual supply of army remounts. A splendid testimony to the value of tlie trotter as a cavalry horse was furnished in Way of last year during the operations of tlie United States Army in Mexico, where tho country travelled over was particularly Touch. The 11th Cavalry Column covered 570 miles in 51 days—a performance that deserved to stand with the notable cavalry movements of all time; and the burses used were practically all trotting bred. At the. ■English "Remount Depots and in the Army Veterinary Corps tli- class of horse that was becoming conspicuous was the trotting strain—one that would not break down under heavy pressure or at unexpected times. Since war was declared Great Britain had spent something like .Cl2.flofl.Oofl 'sterling in America on militarv horses. "ITere T would like to sound n note of warning," said Mr. Ttowe. "The total cessation of racing oven temporarily would practically mean, the broak-un of the In-podi"" industry, aid once this banners it will be very difficult to set it back aciiin. if ever, particularly in these davs of motor-cars and other mechanical contrivances. Breeders o" the light-har-ness horse depend enlirelv upon racing. 'Hiey spend large sums of monev upon the unlccep of expensive studs and i«niiirni'n thousands of horses in fed. Tliev do this with the knowled?" (hut there are owners all over New Zealand who are readv to buv: but without ™eimr there wou'd. of course, bo practically no owners. There would then be no market for breeders, and it is not conceivable that they would hold on to their large stocks on the off chance of a war breaking out at any time. Therefore, without wcing there would h" no breeders, and, where would th" Government look for horses in times of war?"