The Horse 105 



into the road, where he stood proudly tossing his 

 head, as much as to say, " What more ? " 



George Borrow. 



The Hunter of the Past. 



-£> 



THE half-bred horse or the early part of the 

 last century was, when highly broken to his 

 work, a delightful animal to ride ; in many respects 

 more accomplished, as a hunter, than the generality 

 of those of the present day. When in his best 

 form, he was a truly-shaped and powerful animal, 

 possessing prodigious strength, with a fine com- 

 manding frame, considerable length of neck, a 

 slight curve in his crest, which was always high 

 and firm, and the head beautifully put on. Possess- 

 ing these advantages, in addition to the very great 

 pains taken with his mouth in the bitting, and an 

 excellent education in the school or at the bar, he 

 was what is termed a complete snafHe-bridle horse, 

 and a standing as well as a flying leaper. Held 

 well in hand — his rider standing up in the stirrups, 

 holding him fast by the head, making the best of, 

 and being able, from the comparatively slow rate at 

 which hounds then travelled, to pick or choose his 

 ground — such a horse would continue a chase of 

 some hours* duration at the pace he was called upon 

 to go, taking his fences well and safely to the last ; 

 and he would frequently command the then large 

 sum of one hundred guineas. But all these accom- 

 plishments would never have enabled a horse of this 

 description to carry the modern sportsman, who 

 rides well up to hounds, on a good scenting day, 

 over one of our best hunting countries. His 

 strength would be exhausted before he had gone 

 ten minutes, by the increased pace at which he 



