100 THE EORSE. 
muzzle is small, but with good nostrils ; jaws open, and head well set on. 
The shoulders are particularly sloping and powetful, middle-piece well 
ribbed but slightly flat, hips wide and powerful, the loins also being mus- 
cular and well united to the back. The croup is almost always sloping, 
and the tail set on low. Legs and feet clean and sound. With these 
external characteristics a sour temper is often combined ; but the consti- 
tution is almost always hardy, and the powers of jumping are of a high 
order, displayed in height rather than in width. When an Irish hunter 
can be obtained possessed of good manners, he is very valuable indeed, 
but there is so much doubt on this point that a careful trial should always 
be obtained. 
THE CHARGER AND TROOPER. 
Iv CANNOT BE SAID that any particular breed of horses merits this name, 
but there are some characteristics which must always be looked for in a 
hurse intended for this purpose. Between the officer’s charger and the 
troop-herse of the private soldier the only difference is in the degree of 
perfection to which the above points are carried, for there is no doubt that 
the same qualities which are desirable in the one are also required in the 
THE CHARGER, 
other. Inthe one case, however, there is a limit put to the price by Govern- 
ment, varying from 24/. to 35/., while in the other the purse of the officer 
is alone the measure of the extent to which the market may be searched. 
Two points are specially desirable, namely, sufficient size and power to 
carry the heavy weight of a dragoon or lifeguardsman triumphantly against 
opposing cavalry ; and, secondly, so much handiness at all paces that 
complete control of the horse may be maintained with the bridle-hand, 
while the sword, lance, or carbine is used by the other. An officer's 
