THE HUNTER. 85 



turf liorse, the half-bred or tlrree-parts-bred horse, which constituted the 

 racer of tliirty-years ago, soon acquired a portion of the increase of speed, 

 and in consequence of this began to be inconveniently or annoyino-ly close 

 to the hounds. — ^A change then took place in the breed of the hound. 

 This, however, as might be expected, was carried a little too far, and 

 they soon began to run at a rate to which the far greater proportion of 

 the half-breds were altogether unequal. The thoroughbred horse then 

 began to find his way into the field. The prejudice was strong against 

 liim at first. It was said that he could not take his leaps like the old 

 hunter : but, after a little training, he became equal in this respect to the 

 very best of his predecessors, and superior to the greater part of them. 

 This is Avell treated of by Nimrod in his work on ' The Chase.' 



The horse fully shares in the enthusiasm of his rider. It is beautiful to 

 watch the old hunter who, after many a winter's hard work, is turned into 

 the park to enjoy himself for life. His attitude and his countenance when, 

 perchance, he hears the distant cry of the dogs, are a study. If he can, 

 he will break his fence, and, over hedge, and lane, and brook, follow the 

 chase, and come in first at the death. 



A horse that had, a short time before, been severely fired on three legs, 

 and was placed in a loose box, with the door, four feet high, closed, and 

 an aperture over it little more than three feet square, and standing himself 

 nearly sixteen hands, and master of fifteen stone, hearing the cheering of 

 the huntsman, and the cry of the dogs at no great distance, sprung through 

 the aperture without leaving a single mark on the bottom, the top, or the 

 sides. 



Then, if the horse is thus ready to exert himself for our pleasure — and 

 pleasure alone is here the object— it is indefensible and brutal to urge him 

 beyond his own natural ardour so severely as Ave sometimes do, and even 

 until nature is quite exhausted. We do not often hear of a 'hard day,' 

 without being likcAvise informed, that one or more horses either died in 

 the field, or scarcely reached home before they expired. Some riders have 

 been thoughtless and cruel enough to kill two horses in one day. One of 

 the severest chases on record was by the king's stag-hounds. There was 

 an uninterrupted burst of four hours and twenty minutes. One horse 

 dropped dead in the field ; another died before he could reach the stable, 

 and seven more Avithin the Aveek ensuing. 



It is very conceiA^able, and does occasionally happen, that, entering as 

 fally as his master into the sports of the day, the horse disdains to jaeld 

 to fatigue,^ and voluntarily presses on, until, nature being exhausted, he 

 falls and dies : but much oftener, the poor animal has, intelligibly enouo-h, 

 hinted his distress ; unwilling to give in, yet painfully and falteringly 

 holding on, while the merciless rider occasionally, rather than give'up 

 one hour's enjojTuent, tortures him Avith Avhip and spur, until he drops 

 and dies, — that man is a brute. 



^ Although the hunter may not Avillingly relinquish the chase, he Avho 

 ' is merciful to his beast,' Avill soon recognise the symptoms of excessive 

 and dangerous distress. To the di'ooping pace and staggering gait, and 

 heaving flanl^:, and heavy bearing on the hand, Avill be added a very 

 pecuhar sound. The inexperienced person Avill fancy it to be the beating 

 of the heart ; but that has almost ceased to pulsate, and the lungs are 

 becoming gorged Avith blood. It is the convulsive motion of the diaphragm, 

 called into violent action to assist in the now laborious office of breathmg. 

 Tlie nmn Avho proceeds a single step after this, ought to sufier the punish- 

 ment he is inflicting. 



Let the rider instantly dismoaut. If he has a lancet and skill to use it, 

 let him subtract five or six quarts of blood ; or, if he has no lancet, let 



