ENGLISH BREEDS 139 



other to be, and vice versa. Length of shoulders "Nimrod" was quite 

 positive was a necessity, an oblique scapula being indispensable for up- 

 hill and down-dale work; and though, of course, he did not like coarse 

 shoulders, he objected to them less than straight ones. The arms he 

 liked long, strong, and muscular, the knees broad and deep, the fetlocks 

 of fair length and sloping, and the feet wide; chest deep, quarters lengthy, 

 with long muscular thighs and well-placed hocks. Upon the question of 

 action " Nimrod " had a great deal to say, being a hard-riding man, and 

 it was only natural that he should advocate a gentle action with no 

 dwelling about it. So far as the general appearance of his ideal Hunter 

 went, "Nimrod", like every modern judge, preferred to see a horse appear 

 to be smaller than he really was, for then he was sure that the animal was 

 symmetrically built; whilst he adds that according to his experience 

 the long-backed horses were the best brook jumpers, whilst the short- 

 backed ones excelled over timber. 



Youatt, unlike "Nimrod", was a great stickler for blood, believing 

 that though half-bred Hunters could continue to get along, if .stoutness 

 were really wanted a hard rider should be mounted on at least three- 

 quarter or seven-eighths bred animals. According to this writer, no 

 Hunter should stand less than 15 or more than 16 hands at .shoulder. 

 If he were below that height Youatt considered he could " always 

 measure the object ", and if above the prescribed limit the horse was 

 apt to be leggy and awkward at his work. In the opinion of this 

 writer the first point to be .sought for in a Hunter was lightness in hand, 

 and therefore he, again disagreeing with "Nimrod", sought for animals 

 with neat small heads, with thin necks, and especially those that were 

 light on their underside. He also insisted upon broad chests, Itig arms, 

 and .short legs, with pasterns of fair length; whilst, though he desired 

 that the feet should be set on strais-ht, he would reoard their being 

 turned outwards slightly as an unimportant fault, though he would reject 

 a Hunter that was pigeon-toed. Finally, Youatt advocates a short and 

 compact body, and therefore is once more at variance with " Nimrod ", 

 who appears to have been tolerant of a long back. 



From all that has gone before it is pretty clearly shown that the 

 breeders of the past, so far as they were afforded opportunities, were 

 glad to avail them.selves of the .services of a Thoroughbred horse for 

 getting Hunter stock. Then, as now, it was not often that a clean-bred 

 animal was to be found up to more than 13 stone. The consensus 

 of opinion that has been expressed in favour of the Thoroughbred as 

 a Hunter sire, both by past and present writers, renders it impossible 

 to expect that the day is yet at hand when Hunters shall exi,st as a 



