HORSE-BREEDING FOR THE INDIAN MARKET.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2366, 8 September 1887, Page 3

HORSE-BREEDING FOR THE INDIAN MARKET.

TO TIIF KUITOK. Sill,-Having been myself a member of tinArmy Remount Department in India, 1 was naturally much inferr-t" I in your leader on the subject of horse breeding (or India, and it struck me that a few remarks on the subject from one who had seen the thing waking in India, might be accept able. With a view ol showing the class of lease required for the purpose, I may as well de. scribe the way the remounts were classed at the depots previous to being issued to the regiments and batteries. The horses ware purchased in Calcutta hy the purchasing otlicer on duty there, and then forwarded to the depots as ordered hy the I •ireotor of Army Remount Operations. They ware sent to the depots with a descriptive list, and each horse classed to that branch of the service for which the purchasing officer thought him most suited. This, however, was not the final classing. After a year at the depot, during which time the horses are supposed to recover from their voyage and become acclimatized, they have, previous to being issued, to pass before a committee, consisting of the Director of Army Remount Operations, one selected cavalry officer, one selected artillery officer, and a selected veterinary surgeon. The director is the only permanent ' member, the others being changed from, year to year. The committee confirms or alters the previous classing, or, if necessary, rejects any horse. Those passed are then fit for issue, and aiesent out as the indents for remount come in.

Tbe classing* arc as follows, and I will endeavour to describe each class. H.M.C., ■H.A. subdivided into wheel, centre, lead, and detachment of riding horses, and F.A. sub-divided in the same manner. H. is tbe mark on tbe list against'horses to be issued to Hussar regiments; these should be active short backed horses, with decent shoulders, the sort of horse that would make a good stock horse for a heavy man out hero, M. C. medium cavalry, the same style of horse only more so,” i.e. larger and standing higher as having to carry men who both weigh more and are taller,.height from 15 3 to Tllhds, with ns much power as can be combined with good breeding, and good shoulders. H.A. Horse Artilleryhorses arc the most difficult to obtain in sufficient numbers, and the wheel lim-ses most difficult of all. The idea is that the draught should always be upwards, thcceiitro horses standing higher than the wheelers, and the leads higher still. When I was in the depots we were told by our then director (Col. J. R. Roiipcij not to issue any horses as “wheelers’' standing over 15 lids, except when it became unavoidable, which was often the case. The ideal wheel horse should stand from M.3 to 15 lids, have weight and power sufficient for a good dray shatter, and breeding to enable him to gallop sharp and stick at it, so you will see that this is about ns difficult a horse to find as one can well imagine. The “ Centres” may stand say 15.1 to 15.3 lids. They must bo powerful horses, and • wellbred, the class that would suit a coach, or quick working van. Leaders higher still. H.A. Detachment horses much about the same as M.C. often a little more “harnesay” in appearance. F.A. horses are poorer editions of those for H.A, They do not require the same amount of breeding and activity, tlieir purchasing price is 100 rupees less, F.A. detachment horses are practically a poor class Hussar horses declined for Hussars, on account l of insufficient breeding, or bad shoulders. The purchasing officer in Calcutta is told that cavalry and H.A. horses are not to exceed an average price of (iOOrs. (six hundred rupees, £liO), and F.A. (Field Artillery) horses 500rs. (five hundred rupees, fnO). in my time the minimum height for all remounts was 1-1.2, and wo had no set limit upwards, though tall, leggy horses were never approved of. This year, however, I sec that' the minimum .for “ walers ” lias been raised to M.3, leaving Arabs, Persians, and coun-try-brods at the 14.2 as of old, and they have also placed a maximum limit, Hi hands. Willi your remarks in your loader I (juite agree, except that I would not insist on the mares to be bred from all standing 10 bands. Many much lower mares would do. In fact, I should say that if we get the substance and breeding the mere height is a matter of small moment, one way or another. My own idea is that you cannot get horses Ht to ride upon, by using any other than a blood sire, and that most remounts for any branch of the service should bo bred this way. Still, we have among us a certain number of small well-bred marcs that are too small for breeding to n blood horse, and which might breed successfully to a horse like Stonewall Jackson, or even to a very active cart sire. I don’t mean the awful little weak weeds that arc so Common everywhere in Waikato; that sort is tit for nothing except manure, but tight little mares, with plenty of quality, and not much lacking in any essential but substance. I would point out that the service is not tbe only market for horses in India. High-class carriage horses, goad riding horses suitable for rich natives or civilians, horses fit to race or steeplechase, or for pig-sticking, are ail of them classes that find a ready market in Calcutta at high prices. Many officers are willing to give twice and three times remount price for handsome chargers. Apologising for the length of this,: I am, &0.,

F. 1). H. D.u.ky, Late Assistant Superintendent, Reserve ' Remount Hepht, Hanpper, N.W.F.