252 THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



as he erroneously supposed, of favouring our horses, 

 we went about twelve miles of the twenty through 

 green lanes and fields, or what is commonly called 

 " a bridle-road," and we always rode fast. In those 

 days I had a very good hack, which I was in the habit 

 of riding long distances on hard turnpike roads with- 

 out ever perceiving any injury to his fetlock joints 

 or feet ; but it was not so after these twenty miles, 

 at a quick pace, through these green lanes (in a deep 

 country, always harder in the summer), where the 

 foot scarcely ever was indulged with an even bearing, 

 and the joints always on the twist. When I went 

 into the stable in the morning I always found his 

 fetlock joints full and sore, and he invariably went 

 stiff and feeling upon them when first taken out. 

 My friend, however (one of the old-fashioned sort), 

 would never believe that the hard turnpike road 

 was much less injurious than his green lanes, and for 

 the reason I have already given : for which reason 

 I again assert, that I had rather a hunter of mine 

 were led five hundred miles on a good turnpike road 

 than that he should be turned out for a summer's 

 run ; and here I confine myself entirely to the legs 

 and feet. As far as the great panacea rest is con- 

 cerned, as also his general bodily health and con- 

 dition, the journey to Edinburgh would be much 

 in his favour. 



I must now return to one part of my subject on 

 which I have been (I think I shall prove) unfairly 

 dealt with by one or two of the Old School, who have 

 advocated summering hunters in the fields ; and I 



