76 THE HUNTER. 



Secondly^ Look to constitution. As no descrip- 

 tion of horse endures the long-continued exertion 

 that a hunter does, this is a point to be attended 

 to. But it may be overdone. Horses of a very 

 hard nature, very closely ribbed up, consequently 

 great feeders, with large carcasses, seldom make the 

 sort of brilliant hunter now the fashion in England. 

 Besides, one of this description requires so much 

 work to keep him in place and in wind, that his 

 legs must suffer, and often give way when his con- 

 stitution is just in its prime. Horses with mode- 

 rately sized carcasses last longest ; and, provided 

 they are good feeders, will come out quite as often 

 as they ought to do, and are invariably good winded 

 and brilliant, if well-bred and of good form, with a 

 few other requisites. We never saw a very closely- 

 ribbed, large carcassed horse, brilliant as a hunter, 

 and we know such form is not approved of in the 

 race-horse. 



Thirdly^ and lastly^ Let the breeder of any kind 

 of horse be careful in avoiding either sire or dam 

 that has proved constitutionally infirm. As has 

 been already shown on very high authority, perfect 

 or defective conformation is not less likely to be 

 the result of a proper or improper selection of horse 

 and mare, than disease to be inherited from parents 

 that have been constitutionally diseased, or health 

 from such as have been healthy. We could name 

 stallions whose stock have been blind ; others af- 

 flicted with splents, curbs, and spavins, and a mare 

 which produced three roarers by three different 

 sires. But it may be said, that splents, curbs, and 



