ECONOMICAL SPOET. 



137 



must be rejected at once. Short back ribs are usually 

 tbe sign of a bad constitution, but, if you know the 

 horse to be a " good doer/^ this fault may be pardoned. 

 '' Sickle hocks '' are not to be bought at any price ; 

 sooner or later they will go — either spavins or curbs will 

 be their ruin. Of course a horse who makes the slightest 

 noise should be declined ; he will never get better, and 

 may probably (will too) get worse. But one thing which 

 is invariably condemned by people of little knowledge or 

 none at all should not be an obstacle in the way of the 

 poor man's purchase — I allude to "archy^^ knees, as 

 those fore legs are called which stand over. Worn-out 

 legs are another thing, but I should not decline a low- 

 priced horse for this fault if his action were good, and if 

 his fetlock joints and feet were fresh and sound. Such 

 horses are generally cheap, in consequence of the pre- 

 judice against them, and therefore suitable to our present 

 purpose. The back sinews of such legs hardly ever go 

 — indeed, I have never known an instance of their doing 

 so; and though in the racing stables they are liable to 

 sore shins, that does not matter to the hunter. They are 

 not saleable, however. Our two-horse man must not be 

 too fine to ride his horse on to covert, and he must never 

 have both out at once. By careful and proper manage- 

 ment he will find that he gets an interesting and 

 healthful pursuit for half the weeks of half the year, 

 with the possession of his nags for the other half. 

 Whatever man has done man may do, and I speak from 

 experience. Our friend will find he gets more return of 

 enjoyment for his money than any other investment of 

 the same sum would give him. And there is another 

 thing ; it is poor fun to fish all day without a rise, worse 



