10 THE PRACTICAL HOUSE KEEPER. 



any pace, in perfectly balanced action, that the rider may 

 require." 



A park hack, perfect in symmetry, manners, and paces, 

 will bring a high price, say from a hundred to three hundred 

 pounds, or even more. But over one hundred pounds the 

 price is a fancy one, and will depend upon many circumstances, 

 the most important of which is, doubtless, the long purse of 

 the purchaser. 



The lady's hack, like the park hack, should be perfect in 

 conformation, paces, mouth, and temper. The back should be 

 rather longer than in the gentleman's hack, the head well 

 placed and carried on a rather long neck, and the shoulder at 

 a good angle. The animal should be particularly sound and 

 strong on his fore legs ; no woman should be put on a 

 stumbling horse, or one with weak fore limbs. Pasterns 

 rather more oblique than usual are not a disadvantage in a 

 lady's hack ; on the contrary, like the long back, they make 

 the pace more elastic, and therefore pleasanter. 



The price of a lady's hack, like that of the park hack, 

 varies within wide limits, according to breeding, style of 

 going, temper, conformation, etc., as well as the means and 

 fancy of the intending purchaser. So that while a useful 

 animal may be purchased for forty or fifty pounds, one of 

 perfect manners, good shape, and attractive colour, may reach 

 three figures. 



Closely allied to hacks come what are called cobs, which 

 range widely in style, qualities, and price, according as they 

 are park cobs, weight-carrying cobs, ordinary cobs, harness 

 cobs, etc. 



The cob proper is described as of two kinds : one, the priceless 

 animal of grand symmetrical form, short legs, a round barrel, well 

 ribbed-up ; a well-bred intelligent head, a neck beautifully set 

 on and carried, and a tail to match in a word, he should 

 possess the strength of a dray horse, the spirit of a race 



