HORSE-BREEDING FOR THE INDIAN MARKET.

Waikato Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 2374, 27 September 1887, Page 2

HORSE-BREEDING FOR THE INDIAN MARKET.

TO TIIK KlllTor,. .Sin, —Whilst thanking Captain Daly holds generous reply in your issue of Sept. 20th to my criticism on his previous letter. I must own myself yet unconvinced as to the imsonndness of my opinion that the first cross between a lightish active ■mettlesome draught mare, by a thoroughbred horse,

will be the surest way to breed such remounts as are required. Captain Daly when acknowledging the excellent quality of the hunters bred generations ago by the union of the thoroughbred by the Cleveland biy mare, says “Clevelands and Clydesdales are two widely different things.” (Iranted, butl never suggested the Clydesdale, for the simple reason that there are very few in the district, and my description of the mare required did not answer to them, again he says that the Cleveland hay cross “would be too slow for most limiting countries” at the present time. Granted again ; but would not these old-fashioued hunters be the very style of what be wants for cavalry remounts? It seems to me they would have fire, pace, and [lower sufficient for all ordinary purposes. We must recollect that the lightest horse required must bo a weight carrier, and the tact that these three-quarter bred weight-carrying hunters are even now fetch--200 guineas and over in the old country, must prove conclusively that even there, horses of that stamp are comparatively rare and difficult to breed. With regard to size Captain Daly admits that "a good big horse is better than a good little one,” then go for it, and don’t use the “ pony” thoroughbreds that we read about. I admit that a cobby “hack” is preferable to a light one, but I do not admit that a thoroughbred horse of Ki hands, need be one fraction inferior in shape and compactness to one of 15 or 15.2. hds. I would again repeat that on no consideration would I use a light active cart horse as a sire on small mares, I would point out that if the thoroughbred horse is used, there is this most important advantage, viz, that if such first cross should produce a horse that is tit for either cavalry or artillery, yon have got what you wanted straight away; if it (the first cross) should he too heavy, yon have the young mares to get your second cross from, but the young horses would sell well for“ express” and such work.— Yours etc.

John Buook.s. Churchill, September 06th 1337.