THE HUNTER. 



THE HUNTER. 



DIFFICULTY OF PRESCRIBING PRECISE RULES FOR BREED- 

 ING GENERAL DIRECTIONS TO BE FOLLOWED — TRAIN- 

 ING OF COLTS FORM SIZE COURAGE ACTION 



LEAPING PURCHASE OF A HUNTER. 



There is no description of horse which could be 

 applied to so many purposes, racing excepted, as 

 the powerful English Hunter. Setting aside his 

 own peculiar services in the field, he is fit to carry 

 a man on the road, on the field of battle, and he 

 answers for every kind of draught. Indeed, we 

 are inclined to believe no horse would equal him in 

 ploughing ; and as for road-work on harness, either 

 slow or fast, nothing could touch him, in a carriage 

 properly suited to his powers. It is, however, no 

 less true than singular, that out of a hundred 

 sportsmen assembled at the meeting of a pack 

 of fox-hounds, not half-a-dozen would be found 

 mounted on horses which they themselves had 

 bred. This arises from two causes, — first, the 

 greater part of them have not patience to await the 

 arrival of a youns: horse at his best, and conse- 

 quently sell the few they do breed, without giving 

 them a fair trial ; and, secondly, such has, of late 

 years, been the prejudice against riding mares in the 



