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PLATE XIV. 



THE HUNTER'S GALLOP. 



The hunter, although he may be as thorough-bred as the racer, 

 is obliged to go through deep and heavy grounds, which will occasion 

 him to use a different method of galloping from that of the latter. 

 It is not necessary that he should lay himself out in the reach 

 like the race-horse ; if he did, the difficulty he would find in 

 gathering himself again would knock him up in ten minutes ; or, at 

 any rate, would greatly distress and disqualify him for a long 

 day. His strokes should be short and regular, not throwing him- 

 self much off the balance. The hunter should also have the 

 immediate power of extending or diminishing his length of stride : 

 for until a horse can accomplish this part of his business, he never 

 can make a good leaper, much less a safe one. Having myself been 

 much in the habit of riding young and violent horses with fox- 

 hounds, I am well acquainted with the great difficulty and danger 

 there is in leaping them before they are possessed of this power and 

 knowledge. 



