FoK Country Use. 



231 



Green of Rolleston, a Master of the Ouorn in his day, cantering along bridle-roads to meet 

 the hounds on his favourite park hack, a white Arab-like pony), and the residuum of real 

 covert hacks will be found very small indeed. 



The undergraduate's idea of a covert hack used to be a thoroughbred weed, that plunged 

 and kicked for the first five minutes and then ran away, or galloped at any rate at top 

 speed, for the next hour. 



A perfect covert hack must do all his paces smoothly, with comfort to the rider. He 

 should not be over 15 hands, should walk freely, and either trot thirteen miles an hour or 

 canter fifteen miles an hour with a heavy weight on his haunches, and gallop twenty miles 

 without making it a trouble, blowing, or shaking his tail, at the end of the journey. This sort 

 of animal, which could not do the work if he had not sound lungs and capital legs and feet, 

 is just the horse for any one who lives and rides in the country, although he never sees or 



A USEFUL SORT. 



wants to see a hound. It may be a vulgar-looking animal, and too nervous to ride over 

 stones amidst the sights and sounds of a city. Pace is of course essential, but easy elastic 

 action, which is only to be found in well-shaped, well-bred animals, is equally essential ; 

 otherwise you may arrive at the end of your journey as much beaten as if you had driven in 

 a springless cart. 



For a trap for country use any horse with pace may find a place in harness ; but for 

 saddle, whether it be a pony or a full-sized hack, hack action is essential. With good action 

 you may overlook a coarse head, a rat tail, a goose rump, ragged hips, and any defects of 

 shape that do not affect the ease of your travelling. 



In the year 1873 — as there had been any time for the last fifty years — a grievous outcry 

 arose on the decline of the English riding-horse from the form and stoutness of those on which 

 our cavalry were mounted in the Peninsular war. Horses, like every other article of agri- 

 cultural produce, are subject to the laws of supply and demand. Horses for long distances are 

 not required, and are therefore not specially bred. The whole gambling spirit of the nation, 

 which formerly had many vents, is now concentrated on the racecourse. As the greater 



