106 THE HUNTER. 



their colthood, they would have freer and higher 

 action, and, when castrated at a proper age, would 

 very rarely fail making first-rate hunters. But it 

 may be asked, why subject them to the enervating 

 operation of castration, which, as Percival says, 

 stamps their form and character with the seal of 

 imbecility and pusillanimousness ? Our answer 

 here is, that we would not do it, if experience did 

 not show that by far the greater number of entire 

 horses, used as hunters, are either dangerous in a 

 crowd, and when pressed upon in gateways ; or 

 given to refuse their fences, w4ien they feel them- 

 selves somewhat distressed ; and, if once well tired, 

 are not to be depended upon afterwards. When 

 free froui these defects, they are doubtless superior 

 to either geldings or mares. 



Purchase of a Hunter. — Although it may not 

 be necessary that a person should be perfectly ac- 

 quainted with the mechanical structure of the 

 horse's frame, according to the laws of nature, to 

 render him a good judge of a hunter, yet, fortu- 

 nately for such as have them to sell, vast numbers 

 of persons purchase hunters from very slight expe- 

 rience of them, regardless of the proverb of, " he 

 hath a good judgment who doth not rely on his 

 own." There is also another proverb, prevalent, 

 we believe, in Spain, which well applies here : — 

 " He that would buy a mule without a fault must 

 not buy one at all ; "*** and, although faultless hun- 

 ters may be as rare as faultless riders of them, we 

 will offer a few hints to a person in the act of pur- 



