COMPULSORY EXAMINATION OF CLYDESDALE STALLIONS.

Southland Times, Issue 21824, 29 September 1932, Page 7

COMPULSORY EXAMINATION OF CLYDESDALE STALLIONS.

To tlie Editor.

Sir, —Some short time ago an article appeared in the farming column of the Southland Daily Hews in connection With the compulsory examination of Clydesdale stallions by the pen of that able writer Mr James Lilico. It is fortunate that a lead in such an important matter has been taken by a gentleman of independent mind and clearness of version, and has nothing about it of a revolutionary character. The time has now come when it is expedient that the council of the Clydesdale Horse Society now take steps to institute a system for the control of soundness of stallions, and such a line of action should have no terrors for the honest, upright breeder of draught horses. I do not suggest that there are many stallions in the country affected by hereditary disease. On the contrary, the owner of Clydesdales can go in for the examination of their stallions with much less fear than those of any other breed, for they have the soundest stock in the world, and can afford to set an example to others; that being so, the sooner a system is inaugurated the better for all concerned. It has been argued in official quarters that for a man to travel a stallion that he knew to be Unsound was to perpetrate a fraud. I would go further than Mr Lilico and have mares examined. That would be a natural sequel to the examination of stallions. It is not fair that stallion owners should have to bear the brunt. Mares suffering from stringhalt and shivering may seem excellent stamps of the Clydesdale breed, and produce stock which when young give no evidence of these troubles. When put up to public auction they take the fancy of people who are content to give big money for a fancy animal with a good paper pedigree, with the result that in later years they discover they have stock which are practically valueless. If the council of the Clydesdale Horse Society is anxious to stamp out this form of fraud they will register the produce of such mares as can show a clean bill of health in the form of a veterinary certificate pronouncing them free from stringhalt, shivering, ringbone and sidebone, and other troubles which should be dealt with. It would also be to the advantage of the breed if all such mares had an asterisk before their names in the appendix to the Stud Book. To deal With their mares in this way might curtail the number of entries in the Stud Book, but they would have an extended and first class export trade jn the future. —I am, etc. • SOUND HORSE TALK.