98 THE HUNTER. 



pull up, or to turn a horse very short in crossing 

 enclosed countries, the value, even on the score of 

 comfort, of a good mouth, cannot be too highly ap- 

 preciated by the sportsman. 



We now come to the action of the hunter, which, 

 after all, is the main consideration. He should 

 have energy in all his paces, but he may have too 

 much of what is generally called action. Nothing 

 conveys to us a better idea of that which is adapted 

 to his business, than the concluding sentence of a 

 huntsman of former days, when describing to his 

 master a capital run with his hounds. " The old 

 mare," said he, " carried me like oil.'''' The action 

 of the hunter should be smooth^ or it will not last. 

 His stride in his gallop should be rather long than 

 otherwise, provided he brings his hinder legs w^ell 

 under his body ; and the movement of the fore-legs 

 should be round, but by no means high. Above all 

 things, there should be no " dwelling^'''' as it is called, 

 in the limb coming to the ground ; a great obstacle 

 to speed, but often the accompaniment of excessive 

 action in the fore-legs. But the test of action in 

 the hunter, is in what sportsmen call '' dirt," that 

 is, in soft, tender ground, or when passing over such 

 as appears dry on the surface, but is not sufficiently 

 so to bear his weight. It is not exactly in the 

 power of the best judges to determine whence this 

 peculiar excellence, which some horses possess over 

 others apparently well-proportioned, arises, for which 

 reason the eye should never be depended upon in 

 the selection of horses for the field. Wisdom here 

 can only be the produce of experience ; and. many 



