§ 10. Sir REGINALD POLE-CAREWasked how long it takes to train a horse for Cavalry work, and how long, for Mounted Infantry; whether, in the first instance, a horse must be a perfect fighting machine, whereas in the latter he is practically nothing but a means of trans port; and whether he has received any report on the suitability, or the reverse, of the Mounted Infantry cobs for Cavalry?
§ Colonel SEELYIt takes a longer time to train a horse for Cavalry work than for Mounted Infantry work, the period varying with the age of the horse, his condition, his previous training, and other factors. I cannot accept the statement in the second part of the question. It has been reported to me that a large number of horses trained for Mounted Infantry are suitable for Cavalry use.
§ Earl WINTERTONIs the right hon. Gentleman aware that many of those horses are not suitable, a fact of which I myself have experience?
§ Colonel SEELYI do not know what difficulty the Noble Lord had with those horses.
§ Earl WINTERTONHave any single one of those horses been through the ordinary Cavalry school training?
§ Colonel SEELYI have made most careful inquiry, and my military advisers have been through the matter very carefully, and they are of opinion that those horses are most excellent horses, especially for war purposes.
§ Sir R. POLE-CAREWThe right hon. Gentleman has not answered the last paragraph of the question.
§ Colonel SEELYYes, Sir. I said, in reply to the last part of the question, "It has been reported to me that a large number of horses trained for Mounted Infantry are suitable for Cavalry use."