THE HUNTER AND STEEPLECHASER. 



381 



hunting men in Ireland accord to goose-rumped hunters, 

 and which is fully justified in practice. 



A high-class Leicestershire hunter is undoubtedly the 

 best type of horse in the world ; for he unites in himself 

 the greatest number of useful qualities ; speed, strength, 

 staying power, cleverness, courage, good manners and 



P/io/o by] [Clarence Hailey, Newmarket. 



Fig. 426. — Leicestershire hunter, the property of Major de Winton. 



mouth. The speed possessed by that fine steeplechaser. 

 The Doctor, made him all the better hunter in the 

 Shires. We may be quite certain that no horse is too 

 fast for a Leicestershire pack of hounds which gets well 

 away with a clear start from the field, behind a stout 

 and straight-running fox, and with a good scent. The 

 three horses which, to my thinking, more nearly ap- 

 proached in conformation the ideal Leicestershire hunter 



