34 RACING. 



Forty years ago the great breeding counties of England, such 

 as Shropshire, Yorkshire, the Eastern Counties, and Wales, 

 possessed many of these cock-tail stallions, who travelled 

 the country and propagated the class of horse now so nearly 

 extinct — viz. the well-bred fifteen-stone hunter, an animal which 

 is now for the most part travestied by the produce of a bad 

 thoroughbred stallion and a cart or foreign mare. 



To this the faint heart, short pasterns, drooping croup, and 

 short thick neck bear witness. There are a few rare excep- 

 tions, no doubt, and occasionally the pure-bred horse who, 



Weakness and strength. 



either from lack of speed or other reason, has been early 

 gelded, may grow into the requisite article for carrying a heavy 

 weight over a country. 



But the secret of weight-carrying, without tiring, lies in large 

 arms, and second thighs, supporting a strong back and a strong 

 neck — for it is there a horse first tires, whether racing or hunting. 

 The combination is very rare amongst horses not at the top of 

 the tree as racers. This class naturally remains in racing circles, 

 and does not indulge the ' lower orders ' with its favours. 



To return to Ireland. Thence during the past few years 



