8

The Native Cavalry bought 1,152 remounts at Fairs and Shows, where
they could have availed themselves of the services of the Zilladars of this
Department who are always at their disposal to afford them any information
they may require.

As this information is of the utmost value to this Department, to enable
it to ascertain what class of stallion or what particular stallion is producing the
best results, the Government of India have been addressed with a view of
endeavouring to ensure a more correct record in future years. The Superinten-
dents, Civil Veterinary Department, connected with horse breeding, paid
much attention to the issue of Produce Certificates, and, to assist purchasing
officers, the native name, which a horse hitherto had in addition to his English
name, has been dropped, as it was said that two names attached to one horse
was confusing.

20. A Statement is appended (vide Table VI (c), page xxii) showing the
districts in which the various remounts were bought. One point strikes me at
once, viz., that the two districts from which the largest numbers were bought
were:—

Lahore ... ... ... ... ...

413

Amritsar ... ... ... ... ...

215

and this undoubtedly proves that purchases from dealers are yearly increasing.
These two centres are the home of the dealers, and it may be presumed that
all the remounts bought in these districts were purchased from dealers. The
system is greatly to be deprecated; it is one that proves most injurious to horse
breeding, and the Native Cavalry, by encouraging the dealers, are ruining
themselves, as by depriving the breeder of the profits which would fall to them
if Remount Officers bought direct from them, the result must be decadence
of horse breeding and fewer horses in the country. I look upon the dealer as
one of the greatest enemies that we have to contend with.

In connection with this subject it might be noticed that the importers
of Northern horses at the Quetta Show complain that the Native Cavalry do
not buy from them, but rather through dealers. Although this is not absolutely
correct, as 108 horses were bought direct from them by Remount Officers at the
last Show, still I regretted to find that dealers purchased 284, and I was
informed that the majority of these were bought by order of various regiments;
this means either one of two things, that a smaller price is paid to the breeder
or importer, or that an enhanced price has to be paid by the regiments who
employed dealers to purchase for them.

Maps.

21. Maps will be found in the cover of this report, showing the breeding
districts, the stands where stallions are located, and the number of stallions
at each stand.