586 HUNTERS AND HUNTING. 



Choose one with clear blue eyes, broad between the fore- 

 head, with face neither dished nor carrying a Roman nose, 

 expressive ears laying back to the nudge in the ribs, and 

 pricking to the scurry of the rabbit in the brush ; a neck well 

 cut out about the throttle, and long enough to give good 

 length of rein, slightly arched and going into the shoulders 

 at the proper angle ; oblique shoulders are better but do 

 not insist on them ; withers that put the saddle back over 

 the middle of the horse, and keep the girths away from 

 the roll of the fore legs ; a middle piece deep through 

 the heart, running back with well-sprung, far-down t back 

 ribs, the distance of a hand between the last rib and the 

 point of hip ; hind legs so placed that the foot in passing 

 gives the ankle at least an inch or two leeway; good dis- 

 tance from point of hip to point of hock, and plenty of 

 second thigh. Add to this a tail well set on, a mouth that 

 gives and takes as you ask it, a brain that instead of trying 

 to have its own way has faith in you and tries to carry out 

 your desires. 



This is a perfect hunter and seldom in a lifetime do we 

 find him. Buy him any time you see him, if you can afford 

 to; if you pick him up in the spring hack him on the road ; 

 find out if he is well bitted; if he is, half the battle is won ; 

 if he is not, try this bit and that bit until you find the right 

 one. As an English writer puts it, " There is a key to every 

 horse's mouth." But it is sometimes hard to find, and until 

 your mount drops his chin, arches his neck, crooks his back, 

 gets his hind legs under him, he is not in a position to be 

 perfectly controllable at all times. Work quietly, systemat- 

 ically and pleasantly to achieve this one result ; try simple 

 bits and if all fail go to the high port, but be sure then that 



