HORSES AND STABLES 251 



a very good-looking, hunter-like horse must be well 

 bred, merely because he is good-looking, but this is 

 not always the case, for many so-called weight carriers 

 of grand appearance have been bred from a cart mare 

 and a thoroughbred sire, and have entirely favoured 

 the sire in appearance. On the other hand the union 

 of a thoroughbred with a pony or cob-mare has often 

 resulted in the breeding of a good hunter, of fair size 

 and up to a deal of weight, but there is no golden rule 

 in the matter, and it is impossible to get at the real 

 capabilities of any horse until he is fairly tried. The 

 underbred horse may give great satisfaction when 

 hacked and cub-hunted, and he may be the most com- 

 fortable hunter on days of quiet sport, but if hounds 

 run hard, and the going is heavy, he will soon be spun 

 out, and he will, in addition, take much longer to 

 recover than the well-bred nag. 



Still, common horses are to be found in every hunt- 

 ing field, and many of them give great satisfaction to 

 their riders. This is accounted for by the fact that a 

 considerable section of the hunting community either 

 do not know how to, or do not care to gallop. When 

 hounds go fast they are content with an unassuming 

 position in the rear of the hunt, having at the start 

 allowed all the pushing ones to pass them. They go 

 along so quietly that they are practically saving their 

 mounts all day long, and when men hunt after this 

 fashion a lack of breeding in their horses is of little 

 consequence. There are hunting folk, too, who will 

 seldom hesitate to jump a big place, and yet who never 

 gallop at top speed. Some of them do not like it, 

 others seem to be without the knack, or are not bold 

 enough to let their horses stretch out at their best pace, 

 and thus one occasionally has seen a man who on an 



