116 THE HACKNEY. 



tlie horse making a stumble ; but with straight 

 hinder-legs, a horse so formed in his fore- quarters 

 is only fit for harness, where he can recover him- 

 self by the assistance of his collar, having no weight 

 on his back. Provided a hackney do not cut his 

 legs, by striking one against the other, which is 

 oftener caused by imperfection in the upper than 

 the lower extremity of the legs, he is not to be re- 

 jected because he may turn out his toes a little, 

 some of the very best, fastest, and safest road- 

 horses being so formed. Cutting the hinder-legs is 

 a worse failing than cutting the fore ones, as it is 

 a certain sign of weakness ; and although we may 

 be told that shoeing will prevent it, we bring to 

 our recollection the old adage, that " a goose always 

 goes like a goose. ^' What is called the " speedy 

 cut"*' with the fore-legs, arises from excess of action, 

 and is a great objection, by reason of the wound 

 given to the leg, which is struck just under the 

 knee. Many good hunters, especially when ridden 

 in hilly countries, such as parts of Surrey, where 

 they traverse hills on loose and stony ground, are 

 subject to this failing, which is remedied by a boot ; 

 and, after all, the danger attributed to speedy cut, 

 in throwing horses down, is much over-rated. 



Six years back, the writer saw a horse go re- 

 markably well with Mr. Kamsay's hounds, in Scot- 

 land; but Scotch sportsmen would not purchase 

 him, because he was given to " speedy cut." The 

 writer recommended him to one of the hardest and 

 best riders of the day, Sir David Baird, then hunt- 

 ing in Leicestershire, who purchased him, and was 



