THOROUGH-BRED HUNTERS. 105 



deep countries, without trespassing too much on 

 the virtue of his high descent. Secondly, he is 

 incHned, and especially if he have been trained, to 

 be shy of facing rough and thorny fences, by reason 

 of the delicate nature of his skin, rendered so by 

 repeated sweats in clothes, when in training. It 

 often happens, indeed, that even the cheering in- 

 fluence of hounds, which has so much effect on 

 other horses, will not induce him to take them. 

 In fact, which may appear extraordinary, he does 

 not appear to have in the field the courage of the 

 half-bred horse. Lastly, his feet are apt to be 

 small, in which case he sinks deeper in soft ground 

 than does the lower-bred horse, whose feet are 

 larger and wider, and thus suffers more than the 

 latter does in crossing a deep country. As for his 

 powers of endurance under equal sufferings, they 

 doubtless would exceed those of the cock-tail ; and, 

 being by his nature what is termed a " better 

 doer" in the stable, he is sooner at his work again 

 than the other. Indeed, there is scarcely a limit 

 to the work of full-bred hunters of good frame, 

 constitution, and temper. 



A sportsman, partial to thorough-bred hunters, 

 should either breed them, or purchase them, not 

 exceeding two years old. If he breeds them, he 

 should select large and bony mares, putting them 

 to horses who have hunting action, such as Tramp 

 had, and several more we could name ; and, if he 

 buy them, it will be his fault if he do not buy 

 those of the right stamp. From their never hav- 

 ing been trained, but ridden over rough ground in 



