Breeding of Hunters. 225 



his intelligence, and the speedier his recovery from the 

 effects of a hard day." 



We dare not attempt to decide the point of sound- 

 ness between the advocates of large versus small feet ; 

 but, as far as our own observation goes, no foot that 

 is low and weak at the heel will stand much wear and 

 tear in the hunting-field. If, too, there is one thing 

 more than another to be avoided, it is a short 

 shouldered hunter : they may go well for a short 

 distance, but the moment they get leg-weary terrible 

 is their fall. When they make the slightest mistake 

 at a fence, they topple over, with their legs under 

 them, in a heap, without a hope of recovery, and down 

 goes the rider before his horse. The long-shouldered 

 ones have, on the contrary, so much more liberty about 

 them, that they have always a leg to spare ; and if 

 they do put down their riders, they do it like gentle- 

 men, and give them ample notice. It is the mail- 

 driver's old parallel over again between a road and a 

 railway accident " If the coach goes over, why, 

 you're there ! but if this 'ere steamer goes over, where 

 are you ?" Depth of girth is generally a sign of 

 speed, as width is of endurance ; and the Melton men 

 have for many years back declared that, to carry 

 weight, their horses must measure at least six feet 

 round. A noble lord was so tenacious on the point 

 that he used to carry a six-foot piece of tape in his 

 waistcoat-pocket throughout the whole season. On 

 one occasion he went to look at a horse, with two 

 friends, who, knowing his especial whim, contrived to 

 get hold of his tape just before he went into the 

 stable, and cut a couple of inches off it. " I've seen 

 them measure more, and I've seen them measure less," 

 was his remark, as he held up his tape to the light, 

 and found that the horse was only two inches short of 

 its full length. We don't know whether to this day he 

 has found out the joke, but he bought the horse then 

 and there, and rode him in the first flight for three or 



Q 



