THE HORSE. 235 



tries, and it is equally obvious, that long pasterned 

 horses are not the best adapted to the chase in any 

 country. It may be pronounced a sine qua non that 

 a hunter should go clear of all his legs, and not brush 

 a hair. A good feeder with a firm constitution is 

 the horse, his exertions being beyond all others ex- 

 hausting ; his height not under fifteen hands one 

 inch, nor possibly above fifteen three, that the neces- 

 sity of a pocket ladder may be eschewed. A high 

 forehand is both useful and showy in the field, into 

 which no unfortunate nag in need of a crupper 

 should ever enter. The hunter should have a natural 

 instinctive desire to withhold himself from the em- 

 braces of his mother earth, which too many of the 

 species are so eager to court. He must have an innate 

 skill in picking his way over rough and broken, or 

 poachy grounds, and a facility to acquire the neces- 

 sary qualification of galloping adroitly, smoothly, and 

 safely over ridge and furrow; he must be temperate, 

 void of passion, or the penchant for breaking his own 

 or his rider's neck ; pleasant action in the long gallop, 

 that does not inordinately fatigue, and a good mouth, 

 are indispensable to the complete English hunter. 

 With respect to the last item, the true " snaffle-bridle 

 horse" is plainly indicated. Supposing that an un- 

 initiated reader should say to me — " But where am I 

 to find such a horse?" the best reply I can make, is 

 to refer him to Messrs. Tattersall, whose skill and 

 practice in the field go hand in hand with their pro- 

 vince of providing the public with horses calculated 

 to excel in that service. 



To be carried pleasantly in the field, especially so 

 in a long day, is an object of no slight consequence. 



