AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS: THEIR CHARACTER AND INFLUENCE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume VII, Issue 400, 17 October 1874, Page 5

AGRICULTURAL EXHIBITIONS : THEIR CHARACTER AND INFLUENCE.

* (Concluded.) ABEEDEEXSHIRE FEEDING. I think it is pretty generally admitted that Aberdeen carries the palm in the matter of superior beast 3. Uulessit may be for Eingely Hall and Islington purposes, you will not find • the Aberdeenshire farmer troubling himself much with artificial food. Next to tho regular natural feeding, and a constant supply of water, the cleanliness and comfort of the animals are specially looked to, while the irritation which is so common at the root of the tail is reduced to -a minimum. The cattle are groomed as well as the horses. With turnips and grass, accompanied by the comb and the brush, the feeders there manage to make money. Even the beasts themselves exhibit signs of satisfaction when the cattle man makes his appearfor the ptirpose of grooming them. Thus it may be inferred that care and attention, with, as I have indicated, frequent offera of water (which I consider all important), an animal seldom goes off its food. Moreover, the standing room of the animals is carefully attended to. Frequently even on good farms, the stalls are too long, and the droppings fall in the stall instead of into the gutter which is placed for their reception, and this is often a source of discomfort and subsequent refusal or non-assimilation of food. Where there is not a stall for each beast, some arrangement should be made by means of a slab, whereby one animal would not lie down so as to keep its companion standing all night, which I fancy is no uncommon cause of animals going off their food. HORSE SHOWS. Horse -shows have for some time been gradually getting into vogue, ostensibly as a means of encouragement to breeders, but really as a specio3 of Bamumistn. What can bo more humiliating to the sensible owner of a well-known hunter that nothing in reason can stop when he is following the hounds at full cry, than to see "a shilling audience" screaming with delight when the animal, disdaining, or not understanding, the Dticrow line of business, sticks his toes iv T.he sawdust, pops down his head, and sends his rider over the gorsed hurdle as a sort of " agent iv advance." The only disappointment to the majority of the audience appears to be when a horse^ and rider get through these jumping burlesques — got up for their special enjoyment — without a * ' spill. " I noticed the other day, that the Oxford Agricultural Society awarded prizes for shoeing and jumping. Now, I believe veryjnueirin giving prizes for good shoeing, and I have long thought that it is a great pity the leading societies have not encouraged smiths by offering prizes for their all-important work. B,ut only fancy classic Oxford giving a 20-guiuea cup for jumping ! According to the local reporter there were thirteen entries, and ten horses put in an appearance. But here comß3 the " draw." The reporter says, " several spills occurred, and although some of the young baecolic. (sic) sportsmen had their commission marvellously shaken, no accident happened, and the coveted pewter fell to the lot of MrjJ. Hntt, jnnr., of Watereatou, whose splendid animal cleared the rails of the full height." Shades of the Druid and Lindley Murray, look kindly down on tho Oxford Agricultural Society and its accomplished Tcporter ! Several " spills "v" v occurred, but t> y u accident" took place — that is no one was killed on the spot, and the spectators paid their money and had not their choice, I have every wish to be polite to the Agricultural Hall Company and its accomplished Secretary. 1 know that Mr Sidney is an able agriculturist. But, as I have already indicated, I have strong objections to "tho "style" of his Horse Shows. Every hunting man will, I think, endorse my assertion.that more frequently than jiot the cleverest horse over a country to hounds- will refuse to negotiate the barriers erected at such exhibitions as the Agricultural Hall. Prizes are awarded to horses that " leap artificial fences in the best style," with the additional announcement that "in this competition there will be a water jump." This is really the spirit of the business got up to swell dividends rather than with the slightest view of improving the breed of horses. Last year a prize of £20 was awarded to the best leaper, while only £10 was the amount of the first prize for stallions of any breed, under 25 lia.nds ; best adapted for getting hacks or cobs — a class of animals which we have been told by the "manager of the largest horse show in the world " is more scarce than auy other sort of horse required for ordinary purposes. lam of the same opinion. But this arrangement of the prizes entirely negatives the idea that improvement in the breed of horses is the principle of such enterprize3 , as that at Islington. Visitors to Newmarket race meetings are aware that Mr Sanger, the well-known proprietor of - Astley's, has always an agent in commission at the sales of blood stock to purchase the refuse of racing stable 3, at sometimes 10 guineas, and seldom move than 20 guineas each, for what are called "trick" purposes. Tlig principal part of these amphifcheairical performances is the almost marvellous facility with which the scions of our •bluest blood are trained to top a hurdle or jump through a hoop at the slightest signal from their trainers. In short, anything in the shape of a horse may, by a little skill and patience in training, be .taught to leap. It appears to me somewhat anomalous to bring together upwards of 3.00 horses from all parts of the country for the declared purpose of encouraging a useful breed, when just double the sum in prizes is awarded to any slab-sided, spindle-slianked. screw that may luve besn especially trained to jump, than is given to tho owner of the best stallion calculated to get good saddle hacks and cobs. Apart from the objectionable features I have explained, there are others of a nature that I wishl could pass over, in a notice of horse shows. One of these is that notwithstanding the continual outcry that good horses for ordinary purpose's " were never so dear or so scarce " as they have been for the past three years, the majority of those exhibited in England are announced in the catalogues as being " for sale." Thus such shows serve the additional purpose of fairs, and supply a medium of commerce free of cosi of management, for they possibly exact a commission. It ia difficult to prove how this ia an encouragement t<> the breeding of good horses, except in so far as it enables gentlemen to get rid of annimals they do not require or as much as, from some fault orfailing, they are desirous of clearing out. It is almost universally admitted that when men are fortunate enough to own really good horse 3 they seldom wish to part

with them. But, scarce and dear as horses are now, there were no fewer than 250 declared "for sals" on th© catalogue of the horses shewn at the Agricultural Hall last year. JUDGING. Without wishing for one moment to impeach the honour and strict integrity of noblemen and gentlemen selected as judges at Horse Shows, it is notorious that many of them are deficient of knowledge in the principal points £hat constitute a horse of high class. In proof of this I have only to instance the reversals of verdicts constantly being giving and with which most of us are acquainted — in reference to the same animals shown in various parts of the country. This cannot fail to create a wide feeling of discontent among farmers, who are peculiarly sensitive, not only in matters affecting their banking accounts, but when their own judgment and that of others in favor of their horses, cattle, sheep, or pigs is peremptorily set aside by incompetent, though hon-* ourable and well-meaning judges and prizes awarded to obviously inferior animals. Gentlemen interested in horse shows will not fail to remember many instances of misplaced verdicts in reference to what are termed "show horses," many of whom are kept for no other purpose. In fact, the forms of great numbers of the horses, and the face 3of their owners and grooms are as well known to the audiences at Islington aa that of tlie popular comedian, is to the frequenters of the Adelphi. PRINCIPAL POINTS TO BR REGARDED IN' THE JUDGMENT OP HORSES. It is well-known that men of large experience in the judgment and selection of horses are the first to discernjfaults of conformation and unsoundness, whether the infirmity is in an incipient state or more fully developed. One glance at the legs or feet is generally sufficient to detect malformation or infirmity, and any serious dificiency in this part determines tho usefulness, and consequently the "value of the animal is submitted for the .examination of a competent judge. A good body will wear out two sets of poor limbs; and tins point should al\va3 r 8 be kept in view in the selection of horses for any purpose whatever. A good head is a very material feature in all sorts of horses ; but big, lean, and well shaped heads are not objectionable, if they are not out of proportion to the strength of the neck and the size of the horse. Short, sharp, and lively looking ears ; clear, but not very -prominent eyes, with plenty of width between them across the iorshead, are points of excellence. A small muzzle and good open , nostrils, with plenty of width between the jaws, are elements of beauty always appreciated. A clean gullet — without a fleshy appearance or flabby- | looking skin at the juncture of the head to the neck — must always be looked for when perfection of form is wished. An arched neck is not at all desirable, and a straight " cow" neck should be regarded as an objectionable feature. From the " poll " of the head to the withers there should be a slight incline, and the length of neck should be determined at the first sight as neither too long nor too short. It should, however, be clean and muscular, without lumber or heaviness on the chest, and the wind-pipe should be clearly \ defined from its juncture with, the throat I to the chest. Lengthy 'and obliquelyplacad shoulders are essential in the formation of all horses used under saddle, or the rider will not be carried with safety or pleasure. With such shoulders ! as these, allied to long and muscular forearms, large well-shaped knees, short ai d strong cannon bones, with the back sinews clearly defined ; clean well formed fet-locks, aud pasterns neither short, i stilty, not too'slack, on sound well-formed feet, a horse can hardly fail to % ride pleasantly and firmly in his fine hand. I A wide chest is objectionable, for the I reason that it causes a rolling gait, and a | narrow one will place the fore legs so nearly together that he is always in danger of " speedy cut ;" that is, striking the inside of one leg with the foot of the other. While standing in front of a horse a good judge will take particular notice > of the manner iv which his feet are placed on the ground. If his toes are turned inward he is termed " pigeontoed," and is more objectionable than if Ihe turned them out. Yet in the search for that rarity — a perfect horse -both these faults will result in his rejection. A short back is always stronger than a long one, though not quite so easy ,to the rider. Nicely-arched and muscular loins, wide hips, and well-rounded ] quarters, with, strong and muscular thighs, are also most desirable points. The hind legs should not be straightly formed, and the hock — being one of the most important joints iv the frame of a hor3e — should be especially well formed, and free from every sign of bone or blood spavin, curb, thoroughpin, or coarseness of any description. The hind legs should be placed far enough apart to prevent the interference of the hocks or fetlocks with each other, otherwise there will be that unsightly appearance known £>s " cut-hams ;" but they should not be so wide asunder as to induce uneven or im-perfectly-balanced action.