34 THE AET OF TRAINING ANIMALS, 



Jergo^ well knit joints, short cannon bone, oblique pasterns and 

 largish feet. The bone of a hunter^s hock cannot be too long. 

 These are the points for strength and bottom. 



" ' Handsome is as handsome does/ and an old whip once 

 said to a nobleman who remarked that his staunch old horse 

 who had carried him through so many troubles had an awkward 

 head : ' Never mind his 'ed, my lord j I am't a going to ride 

 on his 'ed.' Indeed, what is called the perfect model horse is by 

 no means the best. A horse's constitution may be too good. 

 Horses of a very hard nature, and very closely ribbed up, are 

 large feeders, with great barrels, and do not make brilliant 

 hunters. They require so much work to keep them m place 

 and wind that their legs suffer, and often give way when their 

 constitution is in its prime. Horses with moderate carcasses 

 last much longer, and, provided they are good feeders, are usually 

 bright and lasting enough, if otherwise well shaped. Finally, a 

 hunter should be well seasoned. Few five year old horses are 

 fit to carry a gentleman across country ; for they cannot be suffi- 

 ciently experienced to take a straight line. About fifteen hands 

 two inches is the best hight for a hunter. His action should 

 be smooth, or it cannot last. The movement of the fore legs 

 should -be round, not high; the horse should be quick on his 

 legs as well as fast." 



CHAPTER IV. 



TRICKS OF PERFORMING HORSES, AND HOW THEY ARE 

 TAUGHT. 



HORSES may be taught many amusing tricks, some of 

 which are really wonderful. For teaching horses tricks the 

 implements known as the Rarey straps are requisite, to teach the 

 animal to lie dowetn, c. The piebald or spotted horses are 

 generally supposed by trainers to be more tractable as well as 

 to possess more talent than others. 



THE SHORT AND LONG STRAPS. 



A common breaching strap is used to strap up the foot. For 

 using, open the loop, keeping the buckle on the outside, put the 

 loop over foot, then raise foot and pass the strap around the 

 fore-arm from the inside, and buckle it tight j this holds the foot 



