The Hunter. 21 



Different riders demand horses especially 

 adapted by nature, disposition, size, and confor- 

 mation to their own peculiarities; therefore, in 

 selecting a hunter I would, above all things, give 

 preference to suitability. Then I would consider 

 disposition, next breeding, and lastly looks. Un- 

 fortunately, nine-tenths of the hunters seen in the 

 field in this country exactly reverse this order of 

 selection, laying more stress upon looks and 

 breeding than all the other qualifications com- 

 bined, forgetting for the time being that the 

 pleasure and enjoyment of the hunt are largely 

 dependent upon the horse you ride, and looks and 

 pedigree may stretch you in the ditch or hang 

 you upon the fence, while stamina, activity, and 

 a level head will keep you on the firing line. 



Therefore, my advice is, pay less attention to 

 the looks and breeding of your horse than you 

 do to his qualities as a hunter, and never, under 

 any circumstances, buy a hunter without giving 

 him a thorough trial in the field; jumping him 

 over an obstacle in a paddock as a trial is about 

 on a par with trying the accuracy and penetra- 

 tion of a rifle with a blank cartridge. 



While no animal is more susceptible to appro- 

 bation and flattery than a horse, I am one of the 

 few that believe horses as a rule are possessed 

 of a low order of intelligence, have absolutely no 

 courage, and naturally are the greatest fools. 

 Always nervous and apprehensive, they never call 



