300 STEEPLE-CHASING, 



enjoying it immensely. Seaman must have been a chaser at 

 heart, or he would never have won the Grand National ; and a 

 curious thing in this connection is that some horses which have 

 hated hunting have begun to take a keen interest in the busi- 

 ness as soon as they have heard the saddHng-bell ring. Bride- 

 groom was an instance of this — careless and indifferent as a 

 hunter, when saddled for a steeple-chase he was eager and alert. 



To lay down any general rules for the breeding of chasers 

 is of course impossible. Experience can alone decide how 

 horses of this class may best be propagated. To say that 

 breeding is altogether a lottery would be incorrect in the face 

 of the successful results obtained by study and judgment ; * but 

 it has been shown that several sires which seemed likely to 

 get good jumpers have disappointed anticipation, while others 

 from which little has been hoped have done unexpectedly well. 



The chaser — especially if the sport be in the future con- 

 ducted upon sounder principles than are at present too gene- 

 rally ascendent — must be sound in wind and limb, and of a 

 game, generous disposition. He should possess good sloping 

 shoulders, not overloaded, but with plenty of liberty when he 

 moves. On these he lands over his fences, and if they are 

 upright and stilty, he is not likely at all times to land in safety — 

 indeed, good shoulders have their value at every point of the 

 race. A horse cannot gallop down hill with bad shoulders, 

 and though he may be able to gallop up when ill-made here, 

 he will gallop a very great deal better if his shoulders are good. 

 No less, it may almost be said still more, essential is propelling 

 power behind. He must have a powerful back and loins, 

 with strong quarters, muscular second thighs, with plenty of 

 length from the hip to the hock. A great point is plenty of 

 depth ' through the heart.' The majority of stayers will be found 

 to have good back ribs. Good flat feet, to get through the dirt 



1 Nevertheless there is very mitch of the lottery about breeding, as is proved 

 by the fact that in four or five foals by the same horse out of the same mare 

 you will probably get four or five animals all varying in size and shape, gene- 

 rally in colour, and all differing in speed and staying qualities. — Ed. 



