THE HACK. 9 



and symmetry, but it should average something like that of 

 the roadster. Fifty pounds would not be too much for a 

 tolerably perfect one to carry a light weight ; for a stout one 

 to carry a heavy weight, more money would have to be 

 given. 



The park hack should be something like the covert hack, 

 but with more style and show, as he is not so much for work 

 as for display. His height may be from fifteen to sixteen 

 hands, and his walk, trot, and canter should be easy and 

 graceful, while his temper and mouth should be good in every 

 way. " He must be intelligent (amongst horses senseless 

 brutes are legion), for without intelligence, even with fine form 

 and action, he can never be pleasant to ride. Thorough-bred 

 is to be preferred, and if not quite, as nearly thorough-bred as 

 possible. He may be of any colour except mealy or foul 

 marked ; white marks often much improve, but they also 

 sometimes quite disfigure a horse. The head should be of the 

 finest Oriental type ; the neck well arched, but not too long ; 

 the shoulders light at the points, long, and well grown into the 

 back. The loins should be accurately arched, and the quarters 

 level and nicely rounded — not drooping abruptly toward the 

 tail (like many capital hunters, famous race-horses, and useful 

 road hacks). The mane and tail should be full, straight, with- 

 out the least suspicion of a curl, and every hair as soft as silk; 

 four clean, well-shaped, well-placed legs, the fetlocks rather 

 longer than would be chosen for a hunter ; from such a form, 

 action pleasant to the rider may be confidently expected, and 

 paces agreeable for even the commonest observer to follow. 

 The walk of a park hack should be perfection — fast, springy ; 

 the legs moving, as it were, independently of the body, with- 

 out apparent exertion, with all the certainty of machinery, 

 the head carried in its right place, the neck gracefully curved, 

 and the tail displaying a full flag gracefully keeping time with 

 the foot-falls. From the walk he should be able to bound into 



