THE TYPES AND CLASSES 



139 



is sought as being conducive to safety; the regulation 

 fence is lower for a sixteen-hand horse than for one of only 

 fifteen hands' height; furthermore, in case the horse 

 blunders, the momentum of his weight will, allow him to 

 break through the obstacle, whereas the lighter horse 



FIG. 64. A light weight hunter. 



would probably trip and come down. Then, other things 

 being equal, the bigger horse is up to more weight, and 

 many people who ride to hounds are following the sport 

 to keep down avoirdupois. Hunters are classified on 

 the basis of weight to which they are up, as light weight 

 (Fig. 64), 135 to 165 pounds, middle weight, 165 pounds to 



