HORSES AND HOUNDS. 7 



by this uproar in the stable, ran down, and endeavoured to drive 

 her back to her own box, but she attacked him in turn, and he 

 was obliged to run and call me up. Hastily putting on my 

 things, I rushed down to the stable, and found this brute had 

 bitten the other in a most fearful manner, and kicked her leg off. 

 Upon hearing my voice she immediately left off, and became 

 quiet, but the other mare was obliged to be killed at once. • This 

 gave me a lesson not to keep bad tempers again. 



In a neighbouring hunt some years since, the proprietor of the 

 establishment had a famous thorough-bred stallion, but of an 

 infamous temper, and tins peculiarity descended in no mitigated 

 degree to his stock, so much so, indeed, that several of them, 

 when admitted into the hunting stable, were obliged to be 

 thrown, before they could be mounted. Strange, however, as it 

 may appear, the whippers-in preferred these bad-tempered 

 horses to all others, for their superior qualifications as hunters, 

 being resolute at their fences, fast and seldom beaten, even in 

 the hardest day. 



I have likewise been told that when thrown from the saddle, 

 these horses would sometimes turn upon their riders, 

 and endeavour to tear them with their teeth. To ride hunting 

 upon such tigers I should consider no very agreeable 

 pastime, but that such was the fact, the authority from whom 

 this infonnation came is sufficient guarantee. A bad tempered 

 horse may be generally known by the eye, being rather small, 

 with a heavy brow, feuch are often most resolute, both in the 

 field and on the turf, but vice, whether in man, woman, or 

 horse, should be avoided, as productive in the aggregate of more 

 evil results than good ones, 



A horse is considered in his prime, from six to ten years of 

 age, and for even a much longer time, he is capable of doing 

 good service. Brood mares may be used as such until their 

 fourteenth or fifteenth year ; some will last longer, but the pro- 

 duce from animals aged beyond that period, will be diminutive. 

 From young mares and old horses, fine stock will often be 

 obtained, but I should never recommend breeding from two old 

 animab. 



The next consideration is the number of brood mares neces- 

 sary for the purpose, and the provision as to paddocks and 

 sheds. The former question must depend upon the scale on 

 which a hunting establishment is conducted, and the latter 

 upon the expense the proprietor is inclined to incur. For a 

 moderate hunting establishment, from four to six brood mares 

 will be sufficient, provided they be well selected, of good 

 pedigree, clever in make and shape, and, in short, such as 



