THE ROAD. 
remember that to be a hunter or a good roadster, a 
horse must have length of shoulder, length of frame, 
peculiarly placed hinder-legs, and a well-bitted mouth : 
whereas, without any of these qualities he may make 
an excellent coach-horse ; and hence the value of 
the coach-market to our breeders. Blemished horses 
also find their way into coaches, as do those whose 
tempers are bad ; neither is a blind horse, with good 
courage, altogether objectionable now, the roads are 
so level.* 
The following description of a road coach-horse, for 
fast work, was given by the author of these papers at the 
request of an eminent London coach-proprietor : 
" First requisite, action. Second, sound legs and feet, 
with power and breeding equal to the nature and length 
of the ground he will work upon. Third, good wind, 
as the power of respiration is called, without which the 
first and second qualifications will not avail, in very fast 
work, for any length of time. A clear-winded coach- 
horse will always keep his condition, consequently his 
health ; because he does not feel distress on a reason- 
able length of ground. The hunter and the racer are 
good or bad, chiefly in proportion to their powers of 
respiration ; and such is the case with the road coach- 
* Thirty years back blind horses were numerous in stage-coaches ; in 
fact, it would now and then happen that the whole team were in darkness. 
" Well over that, sir," said one of the old school of coachmen to a pas- 
senger that sate beside him on the box, having just passed a dangerous 
bridge on a foggy night; "only one eye among us!" That "one" was 
his own! 
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