THE HUNTER. 587 



which these animals left behind them. Further, the Race- 

 Horses of England have become the boast of the country, 

 and are the means by which the property termed blood is 

 communicated to all the inferior races. Is it fitting that a 

 breed of horses which has been cultivated with so much care, 

 which has attained to so much excellence, and which may 

 be applied to purposes so useful, should undergo deteriora- 

 tion, in however slight a degree, in order to promote the 

 purposes of selfishness and gambling ; and of gambling, too, 

 not depending upon the powers of an animal capable of ex- 

 erting them, but of a young creature overburdened by a cruel 

 task ? What is this but the stealing of a miserable year 

 or two from the youth of the growing horse, that he may 

 sooner bring to his owner an unworthy gain ? The scandal 

 should be proscribed on the English Turf. If the feelings 

 of those engaged in it will not lead them to abandon it, legis- 

 lation will not be out of place to preserve the breed of these 

 noble horses, and protect them from the cruelty and impro- 

 vidence of their masters. 



II. THE HUNTER. 







To the Horses which, in the British Islands, are peculiarly 

 fitted for the exercise of the modern chase, it is usual to 

 apply the term Hunters. These form a class rather than a 

 breed of horses, because different varieties of horse may be 

 used for the purpose of hunting, as the Race-Horse itself, 

 or the superior class of saddle-horses of any kind. Yet, as 

 the methods of hunting now pursued throughout the country 

 are nearly similar, and as horses possessing a peculiar kind 

 of properties are the best suited for this exercise, a certain 

 similitude of characters has been established between all the 

 members of the class. 



The modern Hunter differs greatly in his characters and 

 form from the horses formerly employed in the chase in this 



