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quirement, they have a decided advantage over under- 

 bred horses, but over a heavy district, with a large 

 proportion of land under the plough and a deal of 

 heavy jumping to encounter in addition, they are 

 very ill-adapted for such work, unless they are ex- 

 ceptionally strong, and even then carrying a light 

 weight. 



The three-parts-bred horse, for all-round hunting, 

 is undoubtedly the best, for in him are combined 

 fleetness, durability, and strength. He is generally 

 possessed of a better temper, and is a superior jumper 

 to the thoroughbred, while he has quite sufficient 

 speed to live with any ordinary pack of hounds, and 

 he will also carry a very much heavier weight. He 

 should be bred from a half-bred mare and a thorough- 

 bred sire, and his dam also should be got by a 

 thoroughbred stallion. If bred the opposite way he 

 may be rougher in his paces, less perfect in sym- 

 metry, and he will generally be in possession of a 

 more stubborn temperament. At the same time, a 

 number of excellent hunters are bred from hunter 

 stallions that are not thoroughbred, and little can 

 be said against this system if the mares that are 

 mated with them are suitable. It is easy to breed 

 hunters up to twelve stones, but difficult to breed 

 them up to fifteen and retain sufficient quality. The 

 Hunters' Improvement Society is now taking this 

 important matter in hand, and much good may be 

 expected to accrue therefrom. 



