THE HUNTER. 81 



The first property of a good hunter is, that he should be light in hand. For 

 this purpose his head must be small ; his neck thin and especially thin 

 beneath ; his crest firm and arched, and his jaws wide. The head will then be 

 well set on. It will form that angle with the neck which gives a light and 

 pleasant mouth. 



THE HUNTEK. 



The forehand should be loftier than that of the racer. A turf horse may be 

 forgiven if his hind quarters rise an inch or even two above his fore ones. His 

 principal power is wanted from behind, and the very lowness of the forehand 

 may throw more weight in front, and cause the whole machine to be more easily 

 and speedily moved. A lofty forehand, however, is indispensable in the hunter ; 

 and a shoulder as extensive as in the racer and as oblique, and somewhat thicker. 

 The saddle will then be in its proper place, and will continue so, however long 

 may be the run. 



The barrel should be rounder, in order to give greater room for the heart and 

 lungs to play, and to send more and purer blood to the larger frame of this horse, 

 especially when the run continues unchecked for a time that begins to be 

 distressing. A broad chest is always an excellence in a hunter. In the violent 

 and long-continued exertion of the chase the respiration is exceedingly 

 quickened, and abundantly more blood is hurried through the lungs in a given 

 time than when the animal is at rest. There must be sufficient room for this, 

 or he will not only be distressed, but possibly destroyed. The majority of the 

 horses that perish in the field are narrow-chested. 



The arm should be as muscular as that of the racer, or even more so, for 

 both strength and endurance are wanted. 



The leg should be deeper than that of the race-horse broader as we stand 



