THE HUNTER. 81 



The f^xcility of sending horses from one part of the kingdom, by raihoad 

 to another in the present day, has not improved the condition of our race- 

 horses, and their strength and chances of keeping sound are hazarded more 

 than ever, and it is nothing uncommon now to find two-year-olds runnino- 

 fifteen races, more or less, in a year, three -year- olds some twenty or thirty 

 races, and old horses running an unconscionable number. As an instance 

 of the nuniber of races a horse may run for, Fisherman, five years old in 

 1858, ran in thirty-two races, and won twenty-one of the number ; he ran 

 at York, in 1857, one day, and was beaten by Warlock for the Queen's 

 Plate ; and the day after, after having travelled in his own van on a rail- 

 way all night and day, he beat a field of horses' at Abingdon, in Oxford- 

 shire. Now it is quite impossible for horses to be in condition so many 

 times in the year; it tries the strength and ruins many young horses 

 before they arrive at maturity, and it is almost impossible to" find a sound 

 old race-horse in the kingdom. 



The breed of race-horses has kept up its stiperiority in this country to 

 a surprising extent, considering that in all others the governments spend 

 large sums towards thoroughbred stock, Avhile in this nothing but indi- 

 vidual enterprise has sustained it and made it flourish above" all others. 

 There is no doubt, however, but that more might be done by breedino- on 

 a large scale, with experience and judicious management ; and altho^igh 

 it must be admitted that our best horses have descended, as showTi by 

 Mr. Good^vin, in his valuable table of the pedigree of the thoroughbred 

 horse, from the Darley Arabian, the Godolphin Arabian, and the Byerly 

 Turk, it would be a great mistake to think of going back to Arabian or 

 other blood, to improve that which is in every way so much its superior. 



THE HUNTEE. 



There are few agriculturists who have not a little liking for the sports 

 of the field, and who do not fancy rich music in the cry of the hounds. 

 To what extent it may be prudent for them to indulge in these sports 

 circumstances must decide, and they deserve the most serious consider- 

 ation. Few can, or, if they could, ought to keep a hunter. There are 

 temptations to expense in the field, and to expense after the chase, which 

 it may be difficult to withstand. The hunter, however, or the huntino- 

 horse, — i.e. the horse on which a fiirmer, if he is not a professed sports'^ 

 man, may occasionally Avith pleasure, and mthout disgrace, follow the 

 hounds, — is in value and beauty next to the racer. 



Fashion and an improved state of the agriculture of the countiy have 

 materially increased the speed of the chase. The altered character of the 

 fox-hounds, and the additional speed which they have lately acquired, 

 compel the farmer to ride a better horse, or he will not live among his 

 companions after the first burst. Stoutness is still required, but blood 

 has become an essential quality. 



In strong, thickly-inclosed countries, the half-bred horse may get 

 tolerably well along ; but for general use the hunter should be at least 

 three-quarters, or perhaps seven-eighths bred. When he can be obtained 

 with bone enough, a thoroughbred horse will form the best of all hunters ; 

 especially if he has been taught to carry himself sufficiently high to be 

 aware of and to clear his fences. 



He should seldom be under fifteen or more than sixteen hands high ; 

 below this standard he cannot always measure the object before him, and 

 above it he is apt to be leggy and awkward at his work, 

 ^ The first property of a good himter is, that he should be light in hand. 

 For this pui-pose his head must be small ; his neck thin and especially thin 

 beneath; his crest firm and arched, and his jaws wide. The head will 



o 



