THE HORSE MARKET.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXVII, Issue 36, 12 June 1915, Page 4

THE HORSE MARKET.

The Invercargill correspondent of the “Lyttelton Times” gives an account of horse market prospects iu tlie Commonwealth of Australia, which probably will encourage New Zealand breeders to send shipments of ‘ their ( colts and mares—if they have any| to spare—across to the Melbourne sales, where uncomminly good prices are expected. The last dry seasoni has boon extremely severe on Austra-, Han horseflesh. The present demand appears to he largely for animals for farm work, hut undoubtedly the army requirements have absorbed a large portion of the Commonwealth’s supply, 1 and in Australia, as in New Zealand, | the last few year& has seen a great fall-

ing oft in the numbers and quality of the horses suitable for mounted infantry work. The motor has almost killed the type of horse that made the trooper’s ideal mount. The men who left here last year for the front, and those now being trained, are not nearly well horsed as the contingents we despatched to the Boer war fifteen years j ago or so. A decade or two back Xew Zealand was able to send large numbers of cavalry remounts to fii-, dia. The Government some months, ago decided to do something to encourage the breeding of remounts, but as is too often the way, official action is taken the day after the fair,; we need those horses now,and shall need, them even more badly as the war goes on and we have to round up from all corners .of the Dominion the ani- | nmls, all too few, that will stand the test of campaigning work under a. fifteen-stone weight the Times points out.