THE HUNTER 83 



roughly estimated as 1 stone) will have to give twice 

 as much for a hunter as a man who only rides 12 

 stone. A thoroughbred, six -year -old, sound, made 

 hunter, capable of carrying 14 stone to hounds, is not 

 to be bought under £150, though the same class of 

 horse, capable of carrying 12 stone to hounds, can be 

 bought for £60, or even less. We do not mean to 

 tell the novice who weighs over 14 stone that he 

 cannot get a horse to carry him to hounds under 

 £150 ; we only repeat that he cannot get a perfect hunter 

 under that sum. Therefore let him remember when 

 he hears of a perfect hunter up to 14 stone to be sold 

 " dirt cheap," that the horse may be as cheap as dirt, 

 and as useless and inconvenient. 



If money is no object, we recommend the tyro to 

 put himself into the hands of a respectable horse- 

 dealer. If he does not know the dealer personally, 

 but has been recommended to him, he should tell him 

 three things : — 



(a) Eiding weight. 



(b) Eiding qualifications, i.e. whether he is a 



hard riding man, or a man who only wants 

 to see sport with no risk to his neck. 



(c) The price he is willing to give. 



"We have heard and examined many complaints 

 about horse-dealers, and are convinced that in ninety- 

 nine cases out of a hundred it is the complainant who 

 is to blame. If the purchaser tries to "best" the 

 horse-dealer, the horse-dealer will try to "best" the 

 purchaser, and it is a monkey to a mouse-trap on the 



