80 THE SPORTING WORLD. 



than a space that enabled him to bring his ex- 

 tended fore feet to the ground pretty nearly at 

 the moment his hind legs left it. The inter- 

 mediate space that his bomid carries him over 

 when actually in the air, was unknown. It is 

 the thorough-bred, or a cross very close upon 

 it, that has shewn us the astonishing elasticity 

 of such horses. The consciousness of such 

 powers in the high-bred horse induce him to 

 face such obstacles without hesitation, while an 

 equal consciousness of the want of it deters the 

 lower 'bred animal from making the attempt. 



I have more than once or twice seen a cart 

 horse, when hounds were running, take the gate 

 of the farm yard ; this he could manage, it re- 

 quired more strength than bound ; but ha^'ing 

 done so, the first fence of any size or width 

 stopped him at once. In jumping the gate he 

 had his hind legs on the ground till near the 

 moment when his fore feet came down ; but 

 the idea of trusting his august body in the air 



