Breeding of Himters. 249 



nth, is more especially for made hunters. To these 

 we may add Spancelhill (June 24th), Ballintubber 

 (August 25th), Boyle (July 25th), and Hospital 

 (July Qth), where nothing but quite youngsters are 

 shown. 



These aspirants are put into a jumping tutor's hands 

 at two years old, and first taught to leap by being 

 driven over all sorts of fences for three or four weeks. 

 They are often fitted with a snaffle and surcingle during 

 these gymnastics, and one man leads while another 

 follows them with a whip over these fences, which 

 consist principally of high rotten banks ; and the 

 result of the system is, that they cannot pitch on their 

 heads, but learn to drop lightly on their haunches. 

 Having been thus initiated, the future hunter is turned 

 out till he is four years old. All his by no meaijs for- 

 gotten lessons are then renewed ; a boy is put on to 

 his back, and when he has been made perfectly handy 

 and quiet, he sees hounds at intervals, and in the ful- 

 ness of time is shipped off with his fellows to Eng- 

 land. During the summer months Irish bred animals, 

 in very ragged condition, and of all heights, from ten 

 to sixteen hands, are to be found in the Leicester 

 market ; and it was here that Mr. Pratt, of Shankton, 

 picked up Shankton for I2/. icxr. at three years old. 

 On the whole the Irish breed of hunters was never 

 better than it is at present; and to judge from the 

 number of good sires which have gone over, they are 

 not likely to degenerate. Among English dealers, 

 the Messrs. Colton of Eagle Hall and Newark, are 

 very large purchasers. They import on the average 

 about five hundred hunters, trained and untrained, 

 every year, at all prices, from 5O/. to 3<DO/. and keep 

 two agents (Wilmott and Nugent), one of whom lives 

 at Mullingar, always on the look-out for them. Mr. 

 Potter, of Ashby-de-la-Zouche, also buys very largely, 

 and at stiff prices ; and the same remark applies to 

 Mr. John Darby of Rugby ; Mr. Murray of Man- 



