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THOROUGHBRED CROSS FOR CAVALRY J. E. Madden Declares That This Blood Without Doubt Improves Coarser Strain of Horses. The following letter, written by John E. Madden. is published iu a current issue of The Ruler and Driver: "I have your letter of March 20 and I had noted that the State Racing Commission had recommended in its annual report that a sum of money be set aside for the purchase of thoroughbred stallions to be placed in the rural sections of New York and crossed with the coarser strains for breeding cavalry remounts. "Now. as you know. I am a friend of all branches of the light horse — thoroughbred, trotter, hackney and saddle horse — and 1 think this recommendation a good one. made at a very appropriate time. "In my mind there is no doubt that the thoroughbred blood improves the coarser strains of hoiscs. The natural gait and the gait transmitted by the thoroughbred is the run. By long use and careful breeding the thoroughbred blood, which is the foundation of the American trotter, has been made to trot naturally: but for cavalry the natural gait and. in times of emergency, the gait needed is the run. "I do not know that I have ever seen any of the get of the thoroughbred stallions placed in the state of New York, but I have heard that in sections of the state where the foals receive care aud attention, they make admirable horses for pleasure and general utility purposes. I have seen many foals by thoroughbred horses out of common farm mares, which were indisputably a success for almost any general p.irpose. aud I have no hesitation in saying that the thoroughbred blood is the foundation blood in all of the families of the light horse. "What breed of stallions have yon in mind that should be distributed among the farmers of New York state to improve the breed for army purposes? Please reply to this, for I am anxious to have your views on the subject." In answer to the foregoing and also in reply to a criticism of the thoroughbred cross in The Trotter and Pacer, we would refer to an address by the editor of The Rider and Driver, advocating the cross, delivered before the New York State Breeders Association at Itica in 1913, ami to actual results of the thoroughbred cross on grade mares as so favorably reported in these columns last spring and fall from the Livingston countv fair in the Jer.csee Valley, Xew York. — Editor of The Rider and Driver. r
