58 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



After intelligence the next great essentials in a 

 hunter are: good sound legs with clean bone. Re- 

 member the old saw: "No fut, no 'oss; no 'ock, no 

 'unter." The pretty gazelle-like legs which might 

 suffice the hack would scarcely be expected to do for 

 the hunter. Fairly straight, short pasterns, although 

 they do not denote as much speed or elasticity as 

 sloping ones, are stronger and better able to bear the 

 jar of jumping and landing on rough ground. 



Slightly "sprung knees," if these are a natural 

 formation, do not necessarily count against a hunter, 

 unless he is to be exhibited in a show ring, in which 

 case any malformation, even if it does not materially 

 affect the animal, is not acceptable. A hunter with 

 sprung knees is infinitely preferable to one who is 

 "back at the knees." * 



The thighs, and in particular the "second thighs," 

 should be well muscled up, giving a broad appearance 

 from behind and presenting what is termed a "good 

 pair of breeches." Ragged hips, while not allowable 

 in the show hunter, in no way detract from the ability 

 to perform, and sloping, "goose rumps," or "roached 

 backs," while likewise not beautiful are often found 

 in the cleverest Irish horses, and are supposed to be a 

 sign of jumping ability. On the whole, however, a 

 hunter should have a straight back, powerfully mus- 

 cled up, and, although not "swayed," it should err 

 on the longish side, particularly if the animal is to be 

 hunted by a woman. In a short-backed horse, or in 

 a roach-backed horse all the propelling power of the 

 animal's quarters is brought directly under the saddle 

 when he jumps, and is bound to twist a woman sitting 



* It is of interest to note that quite a fair proportion of the winners 

 of the Liverpool Grand National were slightly "knee sprung." 



