An appeal for the horse

George Hamilton settled in South Australia in 1839 and was a pioneer, horseman, artist and explorer. He published several books on horses and horsemanship. He advocates for the horse, making a strong case for improved methods of horse-breaking and in the general practice of horse management. He is particularly concerned with the way horses are treated while they are used for the work and daily purposes which were a part of Australian life in the 1800s. He draws attention to their daily 'trials and sufferings', often caused by ignorance and led by poor example, and encourages horse handlers and the public to view the life imposed on these animals from the horse's point of view.

In An appeal for the horse he expands his arguments and also considers the treatment of horses around the world and what might be learnt. Using many examples he calls for kindness to prevail for the benefit of all:
'If it was known that kindness to horses is sure to bring about a beneficial result to the owners, a different system of educating the animals would prevail; the subject is surely worthy of attention. In 1863 there were 59,000 horses in South Australia, and if the condition of so many living creatures could be improved by my calling the attention of my fellow colonists to the advantages they would derive by treating the animals with more consideration, I shall have done something towards establishing a new era for my favourite the horse;... and should the time at length arrive when kind treatment became practice all over the world, what a great stride (in) the right direction would then have been taken.' (Hamilton, 1866, p.16)

The little books were illustrated with lithographs of Hamilton's own illustrations.

As an artist Hamilton exhibited in Adelaide's first two art exhibitions and a number of his drawings were engraved for Eyre's Journal of Discovery into Central Australia and for George Grey's Journals of two expeditions of discovery in north-west and Western Australia, during the years 1837, 38, and 39, ....

Hamilton was an inspector of the mounted police before serving as Commissioner of Police from 1867 to 1882. According to an obituary in The Register (15th August 1883, p.2) his natural love of the horse and expert knowledge in horse management allowed him to raise the standard of the mounted police force in South Australia so high that it became a much sought after occupation among young men. Hamilton's funeral was a very large affair, attended by members of the Adelaide Club, of which he was a founder, and members of the police forces and government. He is buried in the West Terrace Cemetery.

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