ON THE HACKNEY AND HUNTER. l6j 



Hunter, fufficiently fhort-legged, lively, and 

 aclive; which bends its knees, and goes well 

 above the ground, and has found tough feet; 

 has perhaps obtained every qualification he 

 can wifh, for the road, except trotting; which 

 he mull never expecl, in any extraordi- 

 nary degree, in a bred horfe. But Horfes of 

 fuch a defcription are not common, becaufe 

 unfit for the turf; and nobody, as yet, has bred 

 racers exprefsly for other purpofes. The dif- 

 advantage of bred cattle, for the road, or field, 

 are, too great delicacy, rendering them fuf- 

 ceptible of harm, from wet and cold ; tender- 

 nefs of legs and feet ; too great length of leg 

 and thigh, and pliability of iinew, which gives 

 a more extenfive compafs to their ftrokes, than 

 is convenient to the common bufmefs of riding, 

 or even of hunting; their ftride alfo, natural 

 fluggilhnefs, and tender feet, occafion them to 

 be unfafe goers* 



Which then is the mofl proper fpecies for the 

 road? or rather (fince it is agreed that blood 

 is abfolutely neceffary) how much ought a 

 hackney to have? I believe he ought either to be 

 three parts bred, as much as to fay, one got by 

 a racer, out of a half bred mare, or vice verfa.; 

 or one which is produced from good-fhaped 

 hackney ftock on both fides, both fire and 

 dam having: fome blood. I incline to the latter. 

 In thefe mediums you may fecure fufficient 



m 4 delicacy, 



