HALF-BREDS. 95 
the purpose, such an antmal was as difficult to procure as a horse to win the 
Derby, and a man who had one congratulated himself on his good fortune. 
But now, in spite of the fresh impetus given to the sport by the establish- 
ment of aristocratic and national hunt races, it languishes sadly, and no 
one would dream of entering it as a speculation, either by breeding or 
purchase. All that is wanted is a racehorse of sufficient power to carry 
eleven or twelve stone, and with temper and courage to make him 
take to jumping. Without these qualities it is useless to attempt to do 
much with a young horse in the way of education, for though in the 
hands of a determined schoolmaster he may be made to jump, yet he 
will never be to be depended on, and when most wanted, he will be sure 
to fail. So also with his action, it must be rounder and have less of the 
daisy-cutting style than is required on the flat, for otherwise he will be 
sure to fall in passing over the grips and other inequalities which he has 
to encounter. If, therefore, a slow racehorse of stout blood, has good 
manners and courage, and is possessed of a sufficiently strong frame to 
stand the shocks of the steeplechase-course, he may be thrown by till the 
ground is fit to begin to school him, and he will often reward his owner 
by becoming a first-rate performer over a country. I have specially noted 
the character of the blood, for there are some strains which may be relied 
on with far more certainty than others, for this purpose. The descendants 
of Waxy, for instance, wherever they have good shoulders, and of suffi- 
cient size and substance are most valuable; while on the other hand the 
Selims are too flashy as a rule, though one or two sons of Ishmael and 
Ratcatcher may be instanced as exeeptions. Drayton, who got more first- 
rate steeplechasers than any stallion of his day, being sire of Bourton, 
Standard—Guard, Victim, and several others of less note, was by Muley, 
son of Orville, out of Prima Donna, by Soothsayer, grand-dam by Waxy. 
He was not himself successful on the flat, nor has he got a good racehorse, 
but his stout blood, good temper, and strong frame and constitution, were 
exactly suited to the task required of steeplechasers and hunters. 
THE THOROUGHBRED hunter is similar in external form to the steeple- 
chaser, but in him “good manners” are still more requisite. So also when 
a high weight is to be carried a stronger frame is required than for the 
eleven stone or twelve stone of the steeplechase course. 
CHAPTER VIL 
HALF-BREDS, COBS, AND PONIES. 
THE HALF-BRED HUNTER—THE IRISH HUNTER—THE CHARGER—THE COVERT, ROAD, 
AND PARK HACK—THE LADIES’ HORSE—COBS, GALLOWAYS, AND PONIES—THE CAR- 
RIAGE, BROUGHAM, OR CABRIOLET HORSE—THE HEAVY MACHINEYR—THE PHAETON 
HORSE—THE GIGSTER, OR FAST TROTTER. 
ALL THE VARIETIES included in this chapter require a considerable 
infusion of Eastern blood, inasmuch as though some of the harness- 
horses are not called on to travel very fast, yet considering the weights they 
have to draw, their efforts are violent enough to tax both the wind and 
stamina to an extent which can only be endured by the Eastern horse or 
his descendants. Even the omnibus-horse, travelling only six or seven 
wiles within the hour, including stoppages, must not be of cart blood, or 
