OUR SADDLE-HORSES. 53 



To succeed in breeding the best class of 

 saddle-horses, that practical experience which 

 is obtained by riding long distances at con- 

 siderable speed is needed. The Irish farmers 

 owed much of their former success in breeding- 

 good saddle-horses to their custom of riding- 

 after hounds. Having lost their own race of 

 well-bred horses, they are now compelled to 

 breed partly from the English race-horse, a 

 measure which has been fatal. 



Returning to the general principle which we 

 are told regulates supply and demand, I must 

 remind the reader that the stock from which 

 all our best horses have descended was not 

 imported by farmers, but by gentlemen regard- 

 less of expense, yet the animals they imported 

 turned out excellent, not only for racing, but 

 for useful purposes, and this I have shown was 

 their character for a long period of time, or 

 until the old test of merit was abandoned. 

 Farmers who breed in every country the mass 

 of saddle-horses, have no time to go to Syria 

 or Africa in search of stallions, and, if they 

 had, have rarely either the capital or necessary 

 knowledge for securing success. 



Supposing a farmer to leave his numerous 



