CHAPTER VI 



THE HORSE AND THE COUNTRY TO SELECT 



" The horses snort to be at the sport ; 

 The dogges are running free ; 

 The wooddes rejoice at the merry noise 

 Of ticy, tantara-tee-tee. 



— Gray {a;tat Henry VIII.). 



A LOVER of horses would probably endeavour to 

 possess a stud of one size and stamp ; this is 

 difficult to attain, even when money is no object. 

 However, a sound horse and a good performer 

 at a moderate figure will suit the many. Bad 

 shoulders and too great length of leg are to be 

 avoided — a trial ride being in most cases needed. 

 A high wither may to the Tyro be confused with 

 a good shoulder ; it is well known that a bad- 

 shouldered horse cannot move well over ridge 

 and furrow. In fact, a straight-shouldered horse 

 is an abomination for a hunter : he cannot jump 

 except at the expense of his fore-legs, nor can 

 he recover himself when he has made a mistake. 

 For buyers who have not had many years' ex- 

 perience, a veterinary surgeon's advice when 

 making a purchase is a sine qua non. There 

 are numbers of connoisseurs, however, who are 



47 



