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FAVORS PERPETUATION OF THOROUGHBRED THOROUGHBREDTlie Tlie only light horse families resumed Col Fair that have been produced systematically in the United States for a specific purpose are the thoroughbred or standardbred trotter and these have been developed for racing purposes It is for ¬ tunate for this country that this should have been tlone these animal frirnlhh iiii admirable foun ¬ dation upon which to build our war horse structure Hoth have been brought to their high state of per ¬ fection through breeding and racing tests and in the process of evolution through which they have passed tlie weak have fallen by the wayside Nature in every breeding venture gives a certain proimrtiou of failures These trials of speed have developed the heart and lung power of the animals taking part in them We will therefore not have to breed those qualities into the riding horse of tlie future if we follow the lines which success lias blazed for our guidance I am therefore greatly in favor of the breeding activities for the pro ¬ duction of the thoroughbred as this is the line upon which we hope to build a type of cavalry horse horseOf Of the foreign nations now at war resumed Col Fair England was the only country that had not a well grounded plan for cavalry remount pro ¬ duction Her troopers were horsed largely from the racecourses and the hunting field and these fur ¬ nished the 170000 head in the emergency following the inoblization Today through the generosity of Col Hall Walker she has her own breeding studs under the control of an expert and a British offi ¬ cer told me a few days ago that the work was progressing famously The sires which are expected to keep up the high standard of excellence must prove tiieir right to reproduce themselves They are tested for speed courage soundness and bot ¬ tom Tiiis is the same method which is in vogue in France and other Continental countries countriesThere There seems to be an idea in some portions of the United States that mares cannot be worked prior to motherhood and for some time after the foals have been born Visitors to France and rural Eng ¬ land find colts following their dams about the fields as the matrons help to till the soil or garner the harvest Moderate work is beneficial for mother and offspring offspringAnother Another matter upon which the farmer should be enlightened is that breeding operations may be carried into the autumn When most of the vears work lias been concluded If mother and foal are well iiiiturcd and warmly housed growth will be rapid and in some instances as yearlings there will little difference between late and early foals When our cavalry regiments return from overseas they will have to be rehorsed The breeding of cavalry remounts therefore is a matter of patriotic endeavor and every man who has a mare of the proper type should regard it as a duty to mate her this year I understand tliat the New York State Constabulary is doing yoenian service in this respect and that horse breeding in the Empire State has been greatly stimulated through its cooperation with the farmers
