§ Mr. HUNTasked the Parliamentary Secretary to the Board of Agriculture why, in the photographic illustrations issued by the Board of the types of horses required for the Army, the photographs show horses with their tails closely docked and their manes hogged; and is at intended that these are the conditions required by the Army?
§ The FINANCIAL SECRETARY to the WAR OFFICE (Mr. Mallet)My hon. Friend has asked me to answer this. No special significance is to be attached to the illustrations on the point referred to. All horses purchased for the Cavalry are required to be undocked. It is not absolutely essential for the horses bought for other branches of the Service to be undocked, but it is preferred. Horses are not as a rule purchased with hog manes, and the practice of hogging the mane in the Army is discouraged.
§ Mr. HUNTIs the hon. Gentleman aware that the photographs do give the horses as I have stated, and is the hon. Gentleman aware that a long undocked tail is necessary for the horses, and that a mane is most necessary to enable a man to mount quickly, and also to prevent him from dismounting without being ordered?
§ Mr. MALLETIt is perfectly true that the illustrations in this pamphlet to which the hon. Gentleman refers are faulty and imperfect, and if we issue a fresh edition of the pamphlet I shall ask my hon. Friend to see if the illustrations can be improved.
§ Mr. FLAVINIs the hon. Member not aware that the photographic illustrations of the horses show that they are whole hoggers?