STUD NEWS AND NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2672, 31 May 1905, Page 51

STUD NEWS AND NOTES.

Although he enjoys his full share of success from a pecuniary point of view, it does not often happen that the services rendered by the small breeder of light horses to the variety of animals he patronises are recognised as they should be by the community at large, says the London Live Stock JourmaJ. This is not the fault of anyone in particular, as the omisBion is the natural result of the smaller man being overlooked, as his operations are naturally "'eclipsed by those- of the owners of large establishments whose names are constantly being brought before the public. In the usual order of things, therefore, the breeder in a. small way is' destined to go about his business untrammelled by the criticisms of opponents, and to a considerable extent uninfluenced by any particular respect for the teachings of the Stud Book of his breed or by any blood. It will be understood that these notes refer to -the breeder of light, half-bred horses. The small breeder of fibires and other bea-ry horses, cattle, sheep, and pigs is as competent to produce the best as anyone else. It must, therefore, be at the first blush rather a matter for surprise io many persons that the small breeder of light horsea, who works upon no very regular lines of breeding, is so often successful in producing a saleable animal. When the matter is looked into, however, it will generally be found that the former possesses one advantage, inasmuch as he usually is found to be breeding from a favourite mare — in other words, one that has served him well during her working car&er, be the latter what it may. On the other hand, the majority of the brood mares belonging to the owners of great studs have never even been brokeD, and probably this has been the case with their dams and granddams before them. If s.o, all the better for the small breeder, as he has material possessed of a good reputation for work to commence upon. This is no mean advantage in the case of one who has a colt or filly for sale, as the fame of its dam is sure to add to its value, and consequently surprise may be expressed that more owners -who breed for sale do not have all their bTood mare 3 worked. The foal bred by one who is only breeding from one or two mares possesses another advantage over thoso reared in a large stud, inasmuch as it is usually the subject of more solicitude than the latter, owing to their numbers, can by any means possibly receive. Consequently, the foal, especially if it comes from a favourite mare, is generally extremely well done by, and being tak«n a good deal of notice of for *«1 its lifet, it has no excuses for growing up timid, which is a fault it rarely possesses.