182 SYSTEM OF KENNEL AND 



in want of the needful, the best rule is never to 

 part with a horse that suits you. More than half 

 the enjoyment of a good run depends upon being 

 carried comfortably throughout it. Horses, like 

 hounds, have all their peculiar dispositions, and 

 there is no pleasure riding a fiery-tempered, hard- 

 pulling brute, who will have everything his own 

 way. 



We were once offered a mount by a friend upon 

 what he was pleased to call a first-rate hunter, in 

 the shape of a tall, strong animal, standing over 

 sixteen hands, with head and tail well up, and the 

 action of a gentleman's London cab-horse. On 

 beholding the hounds, every organ and muscle of 

 his brute body was set in motion. Ears cocked 

 up ; nostrils dilated ; eyes ready to come out of 

 their sockets ; teeth intent on eating the bit, if 

 feasible ; tremblings in every limb, with circumvo- 

 lutions and pawings, ominous of a restless, ungo- 

 vernable brute within his huge carcase. Thinks I 

 to myself, a pretty beginning for a quiet elderly 

 gentleman, desirous of looking over the pack first, 

 and following them afterwards with an eye to busi- 

 ness. Meanwhile my friend sat lounging in his 

 saddle, seemingly as much at ease as when reclining 

 in his side-padded arm-chair after dinner. Ever 

 and anon we detected a mischievous glance of his 

 eye directed towards the inrouetting, curvetting 

 monster, upon which, [from sheer malice prepense, 

 or murderous intentions, we believe he had mounted 

 us. Now, it was sufficiently vexatious for a quon- 

 dam '^ M. F. H.'' to be so placed as to be precluded 



