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The Tschiffely Literary Estate Articles by and about Tschiffely |
I repeat, that, what in other species constitutes an excellent zootechnical method by the rapidity with which is increases and betters the production of meat, wool, etc., in the breeding of the Criollo horse gave negative results. In effect we replace an excellent, balanced animal, which has arrived at its position after a broad natural selection, by a product of artificial selection in which appear more of the externals of conformation and speed, than the good working of the motor, in view of the work for which it is destined. The mixing continued for fifty years, giving as a result an enormous majority of cross breds, becoming more infused with Thoroughbred blood, - which was the case around Buenos Aires, - and which finally convinced the ranchers that they had no more good saddle horses. The excessive delicacy of the cross bred racer (Note 11), used for peon work principally, the rapidity with which he broke down, the torpidity of his action on rough ground, his lack of resistance to the blasts of the hard winters and many other reasons no less important for a good motor saddle horse, show what a vacuum the loss of the old native stock had left, especially as the last lines of the old stock were carrying on like young colts after twenty-five years or more of good service. (Note 12.) The mixed breeds of our army are determining proof of the inferiority of the cross bred. The Criollos for endurance have no equal. In the army maneuvers of 1914 at Entre Rios the beautiful mixed breeds from Buenos Aires left on foot most of our mounted troops; but the regiment from San Martin mounted on Criollos never lost a man. It seems that it was necessary to mix breed ad absurdum before the public woke up.
4. Renaissance of the Criollo Race (From 1875 to o1890)
The celebrated Matias Ramos Mejia, horse lover, and the best horseman and rider, also others, did much to bring back the native horse. Much negative work was done in spite of many authorities who strove to have breeders return to the original stock. In 1916 some examples of pure Criollos were shown. Then the stud-book was originated in which pure breds were registered. This work was done by the Rural Argentine Society under the presidency of Dr. Joaquin S. de Anchorina. But the mixed breeding had gone so far in the wrong direction that many horses not at all types of pure Criollos were presented for registry. Many stallions were rejected by judges. Such action saved many provinces from the mixed breed. The Society guaranteed all names of horses registered. The Association today (1923) consists of 48 Criollo Clubs; - only two or three important breeders are not included. There are as many as 1,000 individual horses registered.
5. Conformation of the Race
Two varieties compose the breed. Each preserves certain Cephalic characters and other general ones inherited from the two bloods. Thos two bloods, - earmarks of the Spanish horse of the 16th century - were the Arabian and the Barb. That double and distinct variety (Note 13) I have been able to prove studying the Criollos from the greater part of the provinces and National territories. Likewise it is found in the horses of the Republics of Chile, Uruguay and Paraguay. The Cephalic conformation which is the most persistent trait in all animal species, through time and different means, is also the one which first is appreciated as different between the two types of the Criollo race, there being always apparent in the Arabian type a greater development in the transversal diameters and a lesser development in the longitudinal ones - a difference also found in the rest of the body. The lines of the head and body of the Arabian are rectilinear and those of the Barb convex [round]. Climatic and topographical conditions have modified the types, such as those of the marshes and of the mountains. But the characteristics of the race are always the same. The Arabian is rectilinear while the Barb is convex. These two types, I had the opportunity of describing in a paper which I prepared for the breeder. They were adopted by the Rural Argentine Society in September of the past year.
A. Asiatic Type (Arabian) is rectilinear in shape and of average to middle length. Temperament: Active, neither lymphatic nor nervous. It is valiant and brave and willing when it reaches the moment for work. (Note 14.) Height: (Note 15.) Maximum 1.52 metres (14 hands 3 7/8) Minimum 1.40 metres (13 hands 3 7/8) Girth: From 1.86 metres (73.22") to 1.70 metres (66.92") These measurements cover the experience of ten years and were verified by the Palermo Expositions where from 1920 to 1923 the champions and reserve champions were measured. No male champion nor reserve champion exceeded in height 1.48 metres (14 hands 2"). The best male champion, a four year old, did not exceed 1.45 metres (14 hands 1"). Concerning the zootechnic excellence of the race it is found proven by European specialists, the highest authorities in animal work, Drs. Baron and Crevat, who have determined the following formulae:
These same zootechnic experts have deduced another formula which permits our determining the weight which a horse can conveniently carry on his back while at a trot or a gallop, which I consider interesting in its application to the Criollo race. Here is the second formula of Baron and Crevat:
It means that the average Criollo can carry easily the average weight of a cowboy or soldier. Frequently there is recommended for war, by some men, a horse greater in height than the Criollo, because they are not aware that raising the height decreases the strength of the animal (Note 16). In fact this same European formula demonstrates to us that if the horse of 1.52 metres multiplied by 1.86 metres can carry with ease 127 kilos (280 lbs.), the horse of 1.60 metres with the same girth measure can carry only 121 kilos (266 lbs.) In other words, a greater height gives more beauty for driving and military reviews but less power for work. And to those who think that the deficiency is overcome by increasing the girth measure in proportion we quote the French Professor Dechambre who observes and proves with mathematical experiments the impossibility of doing it arbitrarily. Increasing, in excess, the girth gives the animal an overabundance of gross weight. This overabundance passing beyond the average weight of the saddle horse (400-450 kilos - 882.4-992.7 lbs.) makes him more and more unfitted for that work. The excess weight causes loss of agility; more effort for carrying its own weight; greater waste of the legs; strong and violent reactions in the joints and tendons; greater food consumption and slows down the leg action. The experience of the cattle raisers (the actual field men) teaches also that the horses 1.40 metres - 1.45 metres (13 hands 3 1/8" - 14.1") in height with correlative girth measure are those which give the best results for the man who does the work, especially during harsh and long winters. And the horse that survives in the heavy field tasks proves to be the best for war service.
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