72 An'alf and'alfunter. 



should be, though actually of a hyper-nervous 

 character. 



Nothing but time will make a thorough horse- 

 man ; but a few months will make a tolerable 

 horseman of any man who has strength, courage, 

 intelligence, and good temper. If a man confines 

 his ambition to a horse whom he can walk, trot, 

 and canter on the road in an unbalanced manner, 

 and who will jump an ordinary obstacle, so as 

 to follow the hounds over easy country, it needs 

 but little time and patience to break in both man 

 and beast to this simple work. If a man wants 

 what the High School calls a saddle beast, a full 

 half year's daily training is essential for the horse, 

 and to give this the man must have had quite 

 thrice as much himself. Fix the standard at an 

 'alf and 'alf 'unter and your requirements are 

 soon met. Raise the standard of education to a 

 horse well-balanced, who is always ready to be 

 collected and always alert to his rider's wants and 

 moods, and who can do any work well, and you 

 need much more in both teacher, pupil, and rider. 

 No horse can be alike perfect in the field and in 

 the park. But the well-trained road horse can 

 always hunt within the bounds prescribed by his 

 condition, speed, and jumping ability; the finest 

 hunter is apt to be either a nuisance on the road 

 or too valuable for such daily work. It will not 

 do to quote this as an invariable rule. But it cer- 

 tainly has few exceptions. 



