71 



CHAPTEE VI 



SUMMERING AND CONDITIONING OF HUNTERS 



The hunting season being over, the next question is, 

 how best to keep our horses during the summer 

 months. I am assuming that you are not sending 

 your stud up to auction, but mean to keep those 

 which suit you for the next winter campaign. It 

 will well pay you to do so, because, if some unfore- 

 seen reason should prevent your hunting next 

 November, you will find a ready sale for good horses 

 sold for a genuine reason ; wdiereas, in April, they 

 are looking at their w-orst, and, unless very well 

 known, will hardly fetch anything approaching 

 their value. Any horse which does not really suit 

 you, and which gives you no pleasure to ride, is best 

 out of 3'our stable, at whatever cost ; but, unless dire 

 necessity compels you, do not part wath any horse 

 which you really like. I am firmly convinced that, 

 taking an average of several seasons, and suppos- 

 ing you have any place in which to summer your 

 horses, selling them at even apparently remunera- 

 tive prices will not pay you. Some men do so 



