CHOICE OP A HORSE. I7 



stronger loins, longer arms, shorter cannons, big angular 

 knees and hocks ; the finished prettiness to a certain rough- 

 and-readiness ; the light sprightly action to, what the Ameri- 

 cans term "vim" — the equivalent of our words "go" and 

 ''power" — the taking front action, though still active and 

 clear of the ground, to be supplemented by the evidence of 

 enormous propelling power behind and lifting capacity in 

 front. 



The hack first spoken of should ''hardly break an egg 

 if he trod on it," but this general-purpose hack and hunter 

 combined must unite show with utility, some of the former 

 ingredient being sacrificed to add force to the latter. In 

 the hack, the trot, walk, or canter are the only really im- 

 portant paces, but the hunter must be handy over all sorts 

 of ground at the gallop, and should be all action though 

 with nothing flashy about it. Much as I object to the 

 steep quarter there is no doubt that the " goose-rumped " 

 droop of croup and angularity of hip, ugly as it undoubtedly 

 is, gives greater leverage when high timber or stone walls 

 have to be jumped. Persons in search of such horses as 

 these will do well to attend the annual sales of the Compton 

 Stud Company, held in September, at Sandley, Gillingham, 

 Dorset, at which establishment carefully selected blood sires 

 are mated with approved mares. 



At the end of the season, when all London goes out of 

 town, or pretends to, many of the park hacks are sent to 

 Tattersall's to be sold without reserve. In the highlands 

 or on the continent Lady Plantaganeta Vere de Vere does 

 not ride, and, of course, Mrs. Ponsonby de Tomkyns, the 

 wife of "somebody in the City," follows suit. The riding 

 horse, often a really good specimen, purchased at great cost 

 and sometimes with judgment, is put down. As with the 

 ladies so with the men. The Duke of Broadacres sends 



