PUKE BLOOD, 415 



inued line of blood families, sufficient 

 to supply stallions of first-rate qualities, to serve as progenitors 

 to mares of all classes, and as the parents of half-bred, two-thirds 

 bred, and yet more highly descended stock. 



It is an unquestionable fact, that, on the Turf, nothing but 

 what are admitted thoroughbreds can contend, with the slight- 

 est hoj)e of success, against thoroughbreds, even with any advan- 

 tage of weights, short of loading down the pure-blooded animal, 

 so that he should be unable to gallop. 



In the hunting-field, which is the next trial in severity to a 

 race-course, no partly-bred horse can by any possibility stay the 

 distance, when hounds are running the pace, alongside of a tho- 

 roughbred, equal to the weight he is called upon to carry, 

 through deep ground and over fences. 



The difficulty of obtaining thoroughbreds equal to the enor- 

 mous weights hunters are called upon to carry — varying from 

 13 to 17 stone, horseman's weight, viz., from 182 to 238 lbs.* — 

 running over all inequalities of ground, with the plough-lands 

 or turf often fetlock deep, and taking on an average six leaps, 

 four feet and a half and upward in height, and twenty in extent, 

 to the mile, at distances of six to twelve miles, and at the rate 

 of twelve miles in the hour ; and the consequently enormous 

 prices, commanded by horses of pure blood, with sufficient bone, 

 height, and reach, compel the use of part-bred horses for what 

 are called welter weights, except in the flying grass countries, 

 where nothing but thorough blood can do the thing guite well, 

 and where, consequently, none but very rich men can pretend 

 to hunt, if they ride heavy, and desire to ride in front. 



Part-bred horses of four or five crosses are those, then, which 

 are in most request for very heavy men in ordinary hunting 

 countries ; while for light weights of 10, 11, and 12 stone 



* That my readers may not suspect me of exaggeration, I would say that there 

 were going, at the same time, with the Quorndon Hounds, in Leicestershire, at least 

 twenty men above the lowest weights specified ; and at least a dozen, of whom I 

 might name Lord Alvanley, Sir Harry Goodricke, Valentine Magher, Sir Richard 

 Musgrave, Campbell of Saddell, and, occasionally, Dick Gurney — he twenty stone, 

 or 280 pounds — above the highest weight I have named. All these men rode quite 

 up to the hounds, and if not on perfect thoroughbreds, never on horses with less 

 than five or six pure crosses. 



