Scotland), the Cheviot sheep are a fine race, with mutton of first-rate quality and valuable wool; they are found in the greatest perfection on the green Cheviot range of hills in the south of Scotland, near the English border; and are now equally thriving on the pastures of Sutherland, Caithness, and Inverness-shires, but not on the most elevated mountains, these being occupied by the Scotch black-faced mountain sheep, a race well adapted for their wild range. AVERAGE AGE AND GIRTH OF THE DIFFERENT PRIZE SHEEP AT CARDIFF. The breeding of the horse is a national subject, but as yet has not been treated as such. There is a want of system in our arrangement and management. In fact he is not a popular animal to breed. If we discuss the subject with the arable farmer, and press upon him the importance of this "lucrative branch," he at once meets you with "Tis not my business," If with the grazier, he replies, "They disturb my cattle." If with the amateur, he has "no fields or sheds." If with nobles of the land, "None but a thoroughbred can ever pay." These objections are vague, but there is a certain amount of truth in them. Hence the production of this valuable animal is generally ill-regulated and unsystematic. As instances to the contrary, however, where system is adopted, we may point to the Yorkshire coach-horse, the Suffolk punch, the Lincolnshire drayhorse, the Clydesdale horse, and the mountain pony. Agricultural Horses. The active clean-legged bay, brown, or black horse, is best for agricultural purposes, while the heavy horse is best adapted to the London dray and such other work as requires power by weight of carcase. The Dray-horse, in its true sense, is an animal produced from the early crossing of our English mares with robust Flemish horses. They are only produced in such districts as are proverbial for their deep rich pasture lands, such as the Lincolnshire and other eastern marshes, also those of Somerset and some rich midland pastures. South Lincolnshire has been most famous for this class of horse; great numbers leave it as colts for the upland counties, where they are gently worked for a few years, and sub sequently sold to London and other dealers. The breed being a general one, it would be unwise to mention any names as leading breeders. The autumn fair at Thorney, on the borders of South Lincolnshire, as also Rugby and Waltham in Leicestershire, are justly celebrated for their display of heavy cart colts. They are usually sold at two and a half years old. The agricultural or single-harness horse is an animal upon which devolves the quick movement of the farm. With our changing agriculture, this horse has to a great extent been remodelled, but there yet remains the great work of more generally distributing him throughout the country. Take the best Clydesdale horse as a pattern: he is all you want-quick, staunch, enduring, and hardy; his cast, style, and barrel-like form, are alike conducive to his daily work, especially in a hilly country. The Clydesdale horse owes its origin to one of the Dukes of Hamilton, who crossed some of the Lanark mares with stallions that he had brought from Flanders. The southern parts of Scotland, and some of the English counties, are supplied from this district; they make a great display at the Glasgow and Rutherglen fairs, where the dealers from the south go to meet them. The Suffolk horse is another English draught-horse for the farm, the cart, or the lighter dray work. Though peculiar to the county from whence they take their name, they have of late years found their way into almost every corner of the island. The old "Suffolk Punch" has now become extinct. It was a thick short-legged description of horse, with rather a plain head, and a short low forehead; it could nevertheless trot from seven to eight miles an hour in light harness, and was usually ridden by the farmer. The Suffolk horse is invariably chesnut, although of different shades; there are the dark, bright, silver-haired, and red chesnut; all of these have their admirers, but the pale coloured are least fashionable. CLASS 43. In this class for mares and foals were 11 entries, which, collectively, formed an excellent show of animals. The first prize mare, exhibited by Mr. Lowrie, of Caddoxton, was very compact, powerful, on short legs, active, and possessing a firm constitution. Mr. Logan's second-prize mare was a very useful animal, with great activity. In the class for 2 year-old colts were 7 entries, and in the class for 2 year-old fillies 4 entries. Messrs. Logan's and Lowrie's were the only animals possessing any particular merit, and to these the two first prizes were awarded. In CLASS 46, for Yearlings, Mr. E. Holland, of Dumbleton Hall, exhibited a very promising young animal; Messrs. Logan and Lowrie had also some very good specimens. There were 12 entries. Mr. Holland obtained the first prize, Mr. Logan the second, and Mr. Lowrie's animal was commended. Hacks or Hunters. The real hackney or galloway, when well produced, may be justly deemed a treasure; the first cross from a full-sized pony mare with a small thorough-bred horse is generally the real animal for safety, quickness, and endurance. The Cob is a more difficult animal to breed, and its successful production is more the result of chance than of any well-matured system. The real cob, from his enormous strength and robust form, must partake freely of the active cart-horse, combined with a pony mare of opposite qualities. The Hunter. - The altered character of foxhounds and the additional speed they have acquired compel all men to ride a better horse. Stoutness is still required, but blood has become an essential quality. How, then, shall we produce him? From the best parentage, regardless of trouble, distance, and, I had nearly said, expense. CLASS 47. Mares for breeding Hacks or Hunters. The wording of this class is rather vague. Supposing we have two good animals, one being well adapted for breeding a hunter and the other for breeding a hack, which shall win? However, this difficulty has not yet practically occurred. The first-prize mare, belonging to Mr. Hugh Entwisle, possessed great merit; she is exceedingly well bred, very handsome, and an elegant mover. In Classes 48 and 49, for colts and fillies, there were two firstrate animals in the yard. In Class 50, a three-year old grey colt, by Chanticleer, exhibited by Mr. Ballard, near Cowbridge, took the first prize. This colt is eminently calculated for getting weight-carrying hunters: his action is perfect. In reviewing the exhibition of horses in the several classes, it may be said with truth that collectively these classes were well represented, and contained some exceedingly good animals. The Pony. The mountain pony is an indigenous animal peculiar to our mountain ranges, whereby the rough grasses, which would otherwise decay and be lost, are turned to account. The original pony has been much improved; the native pony of the New Forest in Hampshire was enlarged and improved by the presence of "Old Marske" amongst them; the Exmoor pony, by an infusion of the English thoroughbred and Dongola horse; many of the Welsh ponies have been crossed with the Norwegian; the Dartmoors are nearly extinct; the Highland pony is still the old hardy animal nature formed; the Shetland pony of the northern Scottish isles is still diminutive, but beautiful. The infusion of larger males amongst the old mountain race has increased their bulk, while their pony form and hardy constitution have been preserved. The severity of winter-storms drafts many an inferior animal from this larger breed, leaving the breeder to reflect on the inevitable operation of nature's laws. In the class for Mare Ponies of any breed, not exceeding 14 hands, Mr. G. Trahirne, of St. Hilary, Cowbridge, had a very neat grey mare, a perfect hack, to which the first prize was awarded. One belonging to Mr. J. Thomas, of St. Hilary, was a very substantial weight-carrying cob, but deficient in quality: this pony received the second prize. Ten entries. The Mare Ponies under 13 hands were well represented. Mr. John Williams, of Splott House, Cardiff, was the owner of the first-, prize mare, which was very neat, beautiful in form, colour, quality, and movement. The second-prize mare, belonging to Mr. J. Leyshon, of Bridgend, was highly bred, neat in appearance, but did not stand well on her forelegs. This was a prevailing fault in this class, if we except the first-prize animal. Fifteen entries. In the class for Pony Stallions of the Welsh breed, not exceeding 14 hands, were five entries. A nine-year old brown pony, exhibited by T. W. Booker Blakemore, Esq., M.P., which received the first prize, was a perfect example of what a pony should be. He possessed a beautiful form, immense power, fine constitution, and great activity. Mr. Griffiths, of Ligginstone, received the second prize for a clever, hardy animal, and an excellent mover. Although there were some really first-class animals, the ponies generally did not manifest that uniformity of character that was expected from so far-famed a race. There is not that characteristic family likeness among them that is so strongly developed in the Exmoor. The Welsh Mountain Pony was not well represented. Newspapers do not circulate freely amongst the hills, and probably but few of the breeders of this stock were aware of the premiums offered, or of the corner so invitingly kept for them in the exhibition yard. From what we can learn, however, from those acquainted with the subject, there are not (except amongst the ponies bred on the highest mountains) any very peculiar features marking them as a distinct class, such, for instance, as those which characterise the Arab, the Barb, or the English thorough-bred. These mountain ponies, on which I shall first remark, whether from the influence of soil and climate producing like effects, or may be from descent (for some of the Welsh affirm that they were brought from the Holy Land in the time of the Crusades), do certainly possess some peculiarities betokening a fixity of type not found in other breeds. As experience has hitherto shown that any improvement in size, by crossing with larger breeds, has always been purchased at the cost of hardiness of constitution, they have been left pretty much to themselves. |