General Maclean, who for a long period was the "Kaid" or
Commander-in-Chief of the Sultan's forces in Morocco, once tried the
experiment of stabling his horses instead of picketing out in the open,
which is the usual practice. The experiment did not answer, for on his
next expedition every horse died; shelter for a period had no doubt
rendered them susceptible to maladies brought on by exposure at night.
These ponies could be purchased at a figure ranging from L8 to L11 per
head. An export duty of L3 10s., which is levied on every horse sent out
of Morocco, must be added to these rates by foreign purchasers.
Mr. Cornwell states that an infusion of English blood does nothing to
improve these hardy Morocco ponies. Blood horses from England have been
imported and crossed with the native mares, but the produce have always
been leggy and less capable of continued hard work than the native
breed.
PONIES IN EASTERN ASIA.
The pony commonly used in China is bred in the northern part of the
country. According to a writer in _Baily's Magazine_, immense droves of
ponies run on the plains three or four hundred miles from Pekin, and the
breeders bring them down every year for sale in the more populous
districts. They average about 13.1 in height, and though in very
wretched condition when brought to market, pick up rapidly on good food.
They are usually short and deep in the barrel, have good legs and feet,
and fairly good shoulders. Speed is not to be expected from their
conformation; but they can carry heavy weights, are of robust
constitution and possess great endurance.
The Burmese ponies are smaller than the Chinese, averaging about 12
hands 2 inches, a thirteen-hand pony being considered a big one. They
are generally sturdy little beasts with good shoulders, excellent bone
and very strong in the back; sound, hardy and enduring, capable of doing
much continuous hard work under a heavy weight on indifferent food. Like
the Chinese ponies, they are somewhat slow, but they are marvellous
jumpers.
Before the annexation of Upper Burma in 1885 the lower province was
dependent upon the breeders of the Shan Hills and on the breeders in
independent Burma for its ponies, as the export of stallions and mares
was forbidden.
Since the annexation the Indian Government have sought to improve the
native breed by the introduction of Arab pony stallions; the superior
size and good looks of the "Indo-Burman," as the cross-bred is called,
are, the writer understands, steadily leading to the disappearance of
the pure Burmese. The half-bred Arab has much to recommend him over the
pure Burmese pony in greater docility and speed; but these advantages
appear to have been gained at some sacrifice of weight-carrying power
and endurance.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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