ENGLISH BREEDS 135 



a little white on the heel are not unfamiliar to judges. In most of their 

 essential properties, however, the Cleveland Bay and the Yorkshire Coach- 

 horse are very closely allied, the two varieties representing the best type 

 of heavy coachers we possess, whilst both of them have been frecpiently 

 crossed with the Hackney of late years. 



The Hunter. — Although there are few horses more sought after 

 than a first-rate weight -carrying Hunter, the fact remains that in the 

 vast majority of cases the animal belongs to no definite breed, most 

 Hunters being made up of the Thoroughbred sire crossed with a mare of 

 more or less doubtful pedigree. It may, however, be at once conceded 

 that a very great number of men who ride to hounds would prefer being 

 mounted on a clean-bred horse to a half-bred one, provided that a suitable 

 animal was forthcoming; but the supply of Thoroughbreds available for 

 the purpose of hunting men is limited, and consequently a composite 

 animal has to be produced. It is scarcely comijlimentary to the Hunter, 

 that he should be the only variety of horse whose admirers confess them- 

 selves unable to produce him as a distinct breed. On the other hand, the 

 confessed inability of most Hunter - breeders to work without the direct 

 assistance of the Thoroughbred is a direct testimony to the value of the 

 latter horse. 



At the same time, although surprise may be expressed at the recognized 

 difficulty of producing a breed of Hunters, the general admission of the 

 fact must be accepted, for the present at all events. It is a very re- 

 grettable circumstance, nevertheless, as until there is some reliability 

 concerning the pedigree of a breeder's stock, there will always be a great 

 deal of uncertainty regarding the results of the experiments he may 

 make. The establishment of the Hunters' Improvement Society has, 

 however, done much to assist the raisers of this class of animal, and the 

 inclusion of mares in the Stud-book they publish must in the course of 

 a few years contribute very materially to further progress in the direction 

 of their purjjose. It is therefore possible that in the dim and far-off 

 future Hunter-breeders may succeed in establishing a definite breed for 

 themselves. 



Nor should modern Hunter -In-eeders be blamed by those who may 

 disagree with their opinions as to the necessity for the introduction 

 of Thoroughbred blood, for every important autliority of the past has 

 expressed some very similar views upon the question. Whyte Melville, 

 in his Hunting Recollections, thus places what was in his mind before 

 his readers : " In all the qualities of a Hunter, the Thoroughbred horse 

 is, I think, superior to the rest of his kind " ; but this good sportsman and 

 fine writer px'oceeds immediately to C|ualify somewhat his praise by adding 



