74 THE HUNTER. 



amount to render the average of former less profit- 

 able years sufficient to cover expenses, if not to leave 

 a profit. There is likewise another inducement to 

 breeding horses ; we mean the pleasurable excite- 

 ment inseparable from all human speculations, from 

 which more than an ordinary return may be looked 

 for, which is the case here ; added to the nearly uni- 

 versal interest attached to the breeding and rearing 

 of every species of domestic animals. 



With respect to brood-mares designed for breed- 

 ing hunters, we admit that circumstances, not al- 

 ways within control, have their weight. An occu- 

 pier of land is possessed of a mare or two w^hich he 

 thinks may breed hunters, and having them, it may 

 not be convenient to him to replace them by those 

 which might be more likely to breed good ones. 

 But the choice of a stallion is always within his 

 control, and he should not spare trouble, and mode- 

 rately increased price, in his selection. It is well 

 known to all hunting men, that the stock of certain 

 horses have been remarkable for making good hun- 

 ters (we could name many of present and past 

 times,) and that there are such horses always to be 

 found, on seeking for them. A few pounds extra, 

 laid out by the breeder in putting his mares to 

 such horses, are sure to be amply repaid ; for the 

 produce would be generally sought after and pur- 

 chased, even previously to their being tried. Eng- 

 lishmen know of no such restrictions, nor do we 

 wish the}" ever should ; but the interference of the 

 governments of several European states as to stal- 

 lions for the use of their respective countries, reads 



