166 HUNTING 



three figures, which often begin with a two, and 

 occasionally with a three. Briefly, in regard to the 

 prices which hunters fetch, it all depends on what 

 the purchaser wants them to do. If he wants them 

 to keep a good place when hounds run fast, he must 

 pay a long price. If he wants them to ride about 

 the lanes he can pick them up at prices ranging 

 from twenty-five to fifty guineas. 



But we must " cast forrad," and pick up the scent of 

 our present chapter, taking it for granted that our 

 young breeder has not sold his yearling. Parentheti- 

 cally, we may remark that the best market for yearlings 

 intended for hunting is to be found in Yorkshire. 

 Owing to mistaken ideas, hackney sires were introduced 

 into Yorkshire some few years ago for the purpose of 

 breeding hunters, but experience has proved that the 

 hackney is the worst possible sire for a hunter, so the 

 Yorkshiremen who "make" hunters have to go from 

 home for the raw material, and as breeders are averse 

 to parting with promising yearlings they have to pay 

 high prices. As it is, the question amongst hunting men 

 now is, " Where shall we find our hunters ? " and the 

 question is often followed by " Confound hackneys 

 and hackney shows ! " and not infrequently by, " Con- 

 found all horse shows ! " Certainly we do not advise 

 our novice to train his young horse for the show-yard, 

 for we never yet knew a good horse with hounds come 

 out of the show-yard, and would as soon think of 

 buying a hunter out of a circus. 



Now, in schooling the hunter — we strongly object 

 to the term " breaking-in " — the first thing to consider is, 



