MODERN HORSE-BREEDING

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4309, 19 March 1901, Page 2

MODERN HORSE-BREEDING

(From ‘‘Land and Water.’ 7 ) It has been a cry amongst many during the last few years that our horses have sadly degenerated. Our race horses, so wo are told, are speedy weeds, our hunters arc deficient in stamina, and so on: all along the line aro lamentations to be hoard that our horses aro not what they were, and all along tho lino are to be heard more or less chimerical schemes for tho breeding of the horses of the future. Wo do not hold with these pessimistic views. Wo aro rather inclined to taluk that our horses are quite as good, in some respects even better, than eyor they were. Into tho question as to whether or not our racehorses have degenerated, it is not our intention to enter minutely on this occasion. That there is sufficient good material in tho thoroughbred to work upon would not be difficult to prove, and in taking tho ease of thoroughbreds it must not bo forgotten,that tho fluctuations in the quality of racehorses are more easily found out than in other breeds. In horse-breeding there always has been and there always will bo pood and bad years, and in that period—which is called by many the palmy time of tho thoroughbred—namely, from 1850 '*o 1880, the Derby was won by one or the worst horses that ever did win it, Kingcraft to wit, whilst ten years later it ■was won by a plater in Sir Bevys, who had another plater behind him in Palmbearer. .

The last half of the century ha", witnessed a complete revolution in horsebreeding. When the century opened the regi'tration of pedigrees was a thing which was only just being considered. In 1791 Messrs Weathorby issued 'an "Introduction to a General Stud Book,’ but it was not until 1801 that the first volume of that useful work was issued, so that systematic registration of pedigrees may lie said to have come in with the centaly, and pari passu more systematic horse-breeding. For niauy years, however, this systematic •horsc-hroeding was largely confined: .to thoroughbreds. There was a sufficient number of well-bred mares, and lightlegged, barely constitutioned marcs of the Cleveland type to supply tho somewhat limited demand for hunters and carriage horses ; prices ruled lowand ■ people were, careless about retaining either the animals tliemselycs. or the pedigrees. The'increase in the number of agricultural "bows and tha increase in the demand for hid)-class horses as tho natural- wealth increased caused attention to bo called to the fact that tho simply was. inadequate, and that, tlic.ro was a serious risk of the country losing its prc-eminehco in one of its most important industries. Lord Alington, then Mr Gerard Stuart, drew tho attention of tho House of Coinmouna to tho subject ,in 1873, and a Royal Commission was appointed, which did just about as much as Koval Commissions generally do. It bad, however, perhaps one result, and that was t-uo abolition of the vexatious liorso tax in tho following year.

It was left for horse-breeders themselves to take the initiative in a movement which has been fnr-reaphing in its effects, and which has reached 1 a state of development which its originators could never have anticipated. In 1577 the Clydesdale Horse Society was established, and in 1879 the first volume pf the Stud-book was issued. It was begun by the heavy horse breeders. In 187 S the Shire Horse Society was formed, chiefly through tho energy of Mr Sexton. ■ Tfio first amongst the- light horse societies was ; tho Hackney Horse -Society, which owed its inception and mnoh of its success to the energy and industry of Mr H. F. Suren. -This society was established in 1883. and in the following year the Cleveland Bay Society snrang into existence. Then came the Hunt, ers’ Improvement Society and the Yorkshire Coach Horse Society in rapid succession. Breeders of Snffolks also formed a society, and- issued a Stud-book, and in later years the Shetland Pony Society and the Polo Pony Society have been added- to the list of breed societies, aud made that list practically complete.

It is difficult to estimate the value of the work which has heen done by these societies They have published valuable records of pedigrees of famous horses of the oast; they have established a system of registration of the horses of the present which makes it difficult —indeed, well-nigh impossible to fabricate pedigrees.- From old documents and old newspapers and old books they have collected and placed in a readable form many interesting facts respecting our old breeds -of horses, and they have stimulated a healthy interest in the great industry, of horse-breeding. That a marked improvement has token place in horse-breeding must he admitted; and since the formation of these societies horse-breeding has been looked upon less as a matter of chance, and it has been studied scientifically by hundreds whowould probably never have otherwise given a thought to it.

The aim of these societies has been to preserve, and maintain so far as is possible, the old types of our native breeds at the same time imnroving them as much as possible. This is a sound police, and it is one which must have a satisfactory result in the end. But atthe same time- it must ho pointed out that there is a considerable amount of alloy in many of the breeds of light horses, and that the produce of two halfbred horses will not be a thoroughbred because the parents are registered in a stud-book. There is just the danger that the hook mnv ho made much of at tho expense of the animal, ns was the ease at one time with Shorthorns. But so far there ha= been little indication of such a danger, and the members of the various breed societies may be congratulated on the excellent type of tho stock which is exhibited at their shows. There can be no doubt that, had it not been for their exertions, many of these types would have become extinct, and their retention is a source of national wealth which it is difficult to overesti- 1 - mate. Looking hack on the century wnich is past, horse-breeders may congratulate themselves on the progress they have made. The supply of highclass horses may ,not he equal to the ;demand,, a demand which increases as the nation gets' richer. But"that there is, no falling off in our horses may he seen every day in the hunting field, which is, after all, the best test of a horses's oUality. Looking -forward they will find much to do and many difficult problems' to solve, hut if wo look upon what has been don© in the , past [there A . every encouragement to think that they will he found equal to the task, and that English horse-breeding [ will continue to maintain the high position it has occupied for centuries.