OUR STUD HORSES.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 400, 17 October 1874, Page 3

OUR STUD HORSES.

Horse breeding in Otago is now attracting the attention of our farmers and runholders ; and the importance of rearing a good class of stock is making itself apparent to all classes of horse owners in New Zealand. Hitherto we have been content to import draught horses, coachers, and hacks, chiefly from the Australian colonies, the few bred in Otago being weedr, and never likely to command a good price in the market. In fact, so low ■was the estimation in which an Otago bred horse was held, that if shown in a Dunedin sale yard beside an inferior looking imported horse, buyers would invariably prefer the latter. There are many reasons to be adduced for the poor class of horses bred in comparison with those produced in other colonies. In the first place sufficient attention has nog been given to the choice of sire ; even if a breeder was possessed of a good mare he would not take the trouble to see that she was properly mated, and invariably the services of any scrubber that had been left entire, -was secured, as long as a small price tvas chorgeu. .Auofcher important point has also been overlooked in the rearing of young stock, and that is the want of warmth and shelter. It has been the custom to let young foals after weaning, run on the tussocks without the slightest protection from the bitter cold of winter, excepting in places ■where there is a little patch of scrub for the poor animals to find shelter from the wind and wot. Hence at three or four years old, the usual age for horses to be broken in, we have in place of useful animals, small weedy scrubbers, who lack the very qualities wanting in a good horse. Bad constitutions and weakly limbs are the rule, rather than the exception, and good sound weight carrying backs provincial-bred are hardly obtainable. This state of. things is now likely to be altered. During the last two years a number of really good horses have been imported, and horse breeding so long neglected is likely to receive the attention which it deserves. Our columns contain a list of Clydesdale hoises •which would be a credit to any district in !Nevv Zealand, and the price charged for the services of some of them is a guarantee that, they are eagerly sought after. We append a list of them below, from which breeders of draught stock will be hard to please if they -can not find horses to which, to place their mares. The thoroughbred stallions are ako numerous, and with horses like Barwon, Rifleman, and others, tve may yet expect to compete with our neighbors in horseflesh." Eifleman's pedigree has already been described in these columns ; whilst Barwon, whose ancestral tree is unexceptionable, was a great performer on the Australian turf, having placed to^is credit tho Intercolonial Champion Race, the Derby (in a canter) , the Barwon Handicap, the Australian Cup, St. Legcr, and many other valuable stakes. The following is a list of horses standing for service in the vicinity of Tuapeka : —

Amongst owners of well bred mares m the neighborhood of Dunedin, Mr. G. Dodson's lately imported horse Cassivelaunus, appears to be the favorite. Cassivelaunus is by Caractacus ; dam, Campanille, by Stockwell. Before leaving England, he won two ' races in good company at Newmarket as a two-year old, and he was then considered in every respect a promising colt. Caractacus, "Ms sire, won the Epsom Derby in 1862, beating a large field, although he was not trained by a professional man for that event. He merely got a few gallops on Harpenden Common, and on the morning of the race ■was led on to Epsom Downs, and fed off the ground, as neither a box nor stall could be obtained for him. When the time for starting earae, he was mounted by Parsons (the lad ■who had looked after him), and cantered past the stand almost unnoticed, although life winning of the Bath and' Somerset Stakes the week previous had brought him from 100 to 40 to _Cm the betting. The race was, how.eTer, at his mercy, and he cut down the field •wily, leaving that grand horse, Marquis, now in Victoria, behind him. Cassivelaunus, if - lie inherits the qualities of his sire, ought to W * 'great acquisition to this Province. Traducer still maintains his position as the emperor of sires in New Zealand, and deservedly co. Whilst he gets such stock as . liurline, Slander, Malice, Calumny, and many other*, be is not likely to lose that position. TSfom a.Dnnedin contemporary, we learn that "Virginia, Miss King, Gazelle, and several other thoroughbred maves went up to him a few days ago, thus showing the appreciation in which the horse is held by owners of good mares, JBesides those horsfis already mentioned, we liftT© in the Province several other good strains of blood, represented by Elswick, Malton, Architect, Flying Dutchman, Roebnck, Stormbird, and others ; and with the ' increased attention that is being paid to the

rearing of young stock, we may, in a few years, bo enabled to compete with our neighbors in the production of a good class of horses. The nucleus of a stud farm for thoroughbreds has been established by Mr. G. Dodson on his property at Port Chalmers, and he is buying the best bred mares that can be obtained here, without regard for cost. We, therefore, expect to see him in a few years rearing stock that will compete with Mr. Redwood's flyers. In the breeding of first-class draught stock on a systematic manner, Mr. J. F. Kitching, of Moa Flat Station, has taken the initiative, and his paddocks are now well wovth a visit. He has about 100 draught mares selected from the best shipments that have been sent to these shores from Tasmania and Victoria, and the young stock from which promise well. The foals by Ivanhoe are particularly fine, and can be exhibited against any other horse's progeny in New Zealand for size and quality. Great attention is being paid to the young foals on Mr. Kitching's station, and feed boxes will be placed for them, so that in winter they will not have to subsist entirely on the natural grasses. We look anxiously forward to the sale of the first mob of three-year-olds from this run, and will be much disappointed if they do not revolutionize the market, and fetcli equally as good prices as imported horses. It stands to reason that young nor_es reared in the Province, if properly treated, should attain equal' perfection to those imported, as it must be remembered imported 6tock require to be acclimatised. We publish in this and a preceding issue, an interesting lecture given by T. W. Reid, Esq., before the Croydon Farmers' Association. That gentleman throws out some very useful hints with regard to horses, and we trust they will receive the attention from our farmers which the importance of the subject deßerve3.

THOROTX&HBBBir HOBSES. " I Barwon g Rifleman Chorister Quicksand Young Leotard Sire. - . Dam. "*v Pee. Boiardo Jeannetto £5 6 0 Sir Ileroules Nora Creina 4 0 0 Hormit Jenny Lind ,8 3 0 Quicksilver Silvia 3 0 0 Leotard Wattle Blossom 2 0 0 DBAtfG-HT HOBSES. Ivanhoe ,Sir Colin Royal Charter Thumper North Star Young Wellington Stirling Castle Lord Paisley Young Emperor Young Tannahill Sire. Dam. - Fee. Sir "Walter Scott Maggy £19 10 01 Sir Colin Campbell A Prize Mare 6 6 0 Emperor " Polly 4 4 0 Thumper The Dummy 4 4 0 Lincolnshire Hero Flower jj§j 4 4 0 Sir William Wallace A Prize Mare 4 0 0 Rob Eoy Nettle 4 0 0 Lord Paisley Blanch 4 0 0 Emperor A niare by Lord Paisley 3 0 0 Tannahill A Prize Mare 3 0 0