146 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



riding him here ? " looking around at the rocks. 

 " I am not quite sure," I replied, " what I shall 

 run him in, but I think in the Dunboyne Plate at 

 Fairyhouse, and the Conyngham Cup at Punches- 

 town." She said no more, but gazed at the horse 

 as if she was mystified. I did run him for both 

 the races I had named, in about ten weeks 

 afterwards, and he won them both. 



Mr. Elsey's experience of jumping horses has 

 been so large that his opinion is most valuable on 

 the subject, and he has been kind enough to 

 forward the following remarks : — 



" People always did, and always will, vary much 

 in their opinion of horses. I have had many 

 good judges over, and learned the fads of many 

 of them and put them together, which helps 

 one to know the points of a horse. I think 

 the best hunter is a 15-3J or 16 hands, long, 

 deep-barrelled horse, with short legs, good 

 shoulders, and strong well-let-down hindquarters, 

 with a good back, and a good blood head and 

 neck properly put on, so as to bend nicely to the 

 bit. He should carry himself well balanced, 

 with full control of his hind legs, have good large 

 hocks with plentj^ of good flat bone below, and 

 not cut away there at all. His elbows must be at 

 liberty, and not touch his ribs ; and he must 

 carry his girths and saddle in the right place. 



"The shoulders must be rather strong, long, 

 and sloping, and well let down at the points. He 

 must move with good level hunting action, with 

 his knees showing well in front when you are on 

 his back, and with full liberty in all his paces. 

 A horse easy to ride, and easy to guide ; free 

 from all rush ; and one that you can ask to 

 steady himself while you take a look at what 



