BREEDS AND VARIETIES OF HORSES 15 



better, for much of a hunter's action and utility lies 

 in the propelling power he possesses. Many a 

 valuable hunter bears traces of the firing-iron upon 

 his legs, but these by no means need be regarded as 

 evidences of unsoundness, as the operation of firing 

 is frequently resorted to as a precautionary measure. 



The question of quality is one that should not be 

 passed unheeded by the purchaser of a hunter, as 

 an underbred, common-looking animal is not in- 

 frequently as deficient in gameness as he is plebeian 

 in appearance ; and a hunter that will not struggle 

 when the pinch comes is scarcely a safe animal to 

 be on at the end of a tiring day. The gallop is, of 

 course, the chief point in the action of a hunter, who, 

 to be fit for his work, should be good all round, and 

 use his hocks freely as well as his shoulders and 

 knees. In mentioning this it may be remarked, 

 that many a horse which only shows up moderately 

 at the trot or canter becomes quite a different 

 animal when fairly set going, and therefore in looking 

 over a hunter it is well to see him fully extended 

 before making up one's mind. 



Considerable importance should also be attached 

 to the walk of a hunter, as it frequently happens 

 that hounds run into their fox at some place situated 

 a long way from home, and most men who have 

 experienced the misery of getting back on a tired 

 animal that is a bad walker would not care to repeat 

 the performance were it possible to avoid it. 

 Finally it may be suggested to any one who is 

 attempting to form an opinion of the merits of a 

 hunter, or, in fact, any other saddle horse, that the 

 most satisfactory of all methods for settling the 

 matter is to get on him and see how he moves then. 

 Five minutes in a ten-acre field will tell any man 

 more about the action of a horse he is riding than 

 an hour spent in criticizing his merits and defects from 

 a position on terra firma ; and this important fact 



