84 THE DIFFERENT BREEDS OF ENGLISH HORSES. 



speed was introduced into the turf horse, the half-bred or three-parts-bred horse, 

 which constituted the racer of thirty years ago, soon acquired a portion of the 

 increase of speed, and in consequence of this began to be inconveniently or 

 annoyingly close to the hounds. A change then took place in the breed of the 

 hound. This, however, as might be expected, was carried a little too far, and 

 they soon began to run at a rate to which the far greater proportion of the half- 

 breds were altogether unequal. The thorough-bred horse then began to find 

 his way into the field. The prejudice was strong against him at first. It was 

 said that he could not take his leaps like the old hunter : but, after a little 

 training, he became equal in this respect to the very best of his predecessors, 

 and superior to the greater part of them. This is well treated of by Nimrod 

 in his work on " The Chase." 



The horse fully shares in the enthusiasm of his rider. It is beautiful to watch 

 the old hunter who, after many a winter's hard work, is turned into the park 

 to enjoy himself for life. His attitude and his countenance when, perchance, 

 he hears the distant cry of the dogs, are a study. If he can, he will break his 

 fence, and, over hedge, and lane, and brook, follow the chase, and come in first 

 at the death. 



A horse that had, a short time before, been severely fired on three legs, and 

 was placed in a loose box, with the door, four feet high, closed, and an aper- 

 ture over it little more than three feet square, and standing himself nearly 

 sixteen hands, and master of fifteen stone, hearing the cheering of the huntsman 

 and the cry of the dogs at no great distance, sprung through the aperture with- 

 out leaving a single mark on the bottom, the top, or the sides. 



Then, if the horse is thus ready to exert himself for our pleasure and 

 pleasure alone is here the object it is indefensible and brutal to urge him 

 beyond his own natural ardour so severely as we sometimes do, and even until 

 nature is quite exhausted. We do not often hear of a " hard day," without 

 being likewise informed, that one or more horses either died in the field, or 

 scarcely reached home before they expired. Some riders have been thoughtless 

 and cruel enough to kill two horses in one day. One of the severest chases on 

 record was by the king's stag-hounds. There was an uninterrupted burst of four 

 hours and twenty minutes. One horse dropped dead in the field ; another 

 died before he could reach the stable; and seven more, within the week 

 ensuing. 



It is very conceivable, and does occasionally happen, that, entering as fully as 

 his master into the sports of the day, the horse disdains to yield to fatigue, and 

 voluntarily presses on, until, nature being exhausted, he falls and dies : but 

 much oftener, the poor animal has, intelligibly enough, hinted his distress ; 

 unwilling to give in, yet painfully and falteringly holding on, while the merciless 

 rider, occasionally, rather than give up one hour's enjoyment, tortures him with 

 whip and spur, until he drops and dies. 



Although the hunter may not willingly relinquish the chase, he who " is 

 merciful to his beast," will soon recognise the symptoms of excessive and dan- 

 gerous distress. To the drooping pace and staggering gait, and heaving flank, 

 and heavy bearing on the hand, will be added a very peculiar sound. The 

 inexperienced person will fancy it to be the beating of the heart ; but that has 

 almost ceased to pulsate, and the lungs are becoming gorged with blood. It is 

 the convulsive motion of the diaphragm, called into violent action to assist in 

 the now laborious office of breathing. The man who proceeds a single step 

 after this, ought to suffer the punishment he is inflicting*. 



* We should almost rejoice if the abused were to inflict on his rider the punishment 

 quadruped, cruelly urged beyond his powers, which a Spanish ruffian received when inevcu 



