13 



frequent walking or to a slow pace. Some gentle- 

 men are fond of long rides, and will prefer the saddle 

 to a stage even for a journey of forty or fifty miles. 

 After much observation, I am inclined to think that 

 there are very few horses to be found that are ca- 

 pable of carrying weight, without distress, for more 

 than fifty miles in the course of a day ; or to bear 

 the repetition, even of this, in the course of the 

 same week, without injury. At all events it is safer 

 to estimate the powers of a horse at a much lower 

 rate, and to consider thirty miles a good day's 

 journey; and two such journeys as a fair week's 

 work. 



The last hint that I shall oflfer on this topic, is 

 to decide, in the first instance, the limit in price ; 

 and having settled "the figure," to allow no horse- 

 dealing oratory to change the determination. I 

 may observe that a horse, which is really good and 

 exactly adapted to a man's purpose, is dear at no 

 price ; but it by no means follows that because a 

 high price is asked or even refused, that the horse 

 is worth it. Putting hunters and race-horses out 

 of the question, a hundred guineas ought to buy 

 the best hack in England ; three-fourths of that 

 price is more than the value of ninety-nine out of 

 a hundred, with every advantage of strength and 

 action j and fifty guineas should at any time pur- 



