220 



There is a degree of cruelty attached to the 

 conduct of those persons who urge horses be- 

 yond their n:itural powers, which no incentives 

 can justify. In the chace., it is true, some- 

 thing may be said in favour of men who have 

 been led on by hopes that the object of their 

 pursuit might, after having been driven to 

 some distance, return to his native wiles, and 

 thus shorten the toils of the day; but it fre- 

 quently happens that such persons are allured 

 to follow farther than their horses can carry 

 them without pain, regardless of their distance 

 from home*, and perhaps their sport is con- 

 cluded in a country which affords no means of 

 obtaining either rest or sustenance; and thus 

 they are compelled to aggravate the sufferings of 

 their horses, by lengthening their fatigues : for 

 such men, as has been observed, there may be 

 some apology, as both themselves and their 

 horses are generally well qualified for exertions 

 of this sort; yet ih^ cruelty of such conduct 

 cannot be questioned. On the road, however, 

 there can be no excuse for urging a horse be- 

 yond his strength. Long journies on a bad 

 road are more injurious than any other labour; 

 and as the resources are numerous, they sliould 

 often be resorted to. 



