How to Purchase a Horse. 45 



must carry the saddle well back behind the shoulders : 

 nothing is so uncomfortable or looks so badly in any 

 description of riding horse as sitting on the top of the 

 shoulders instead of behind them. The price will vary 

 according to his action, manners, and appearance, as well 

 as the weight he can carry. From ^35 or ,£40 for the 

 light blood hack with low action, to .£70 or £$0 for good 

 useful sorts, and up to ^£150 to ^200, or even more, for 

 first-class horses of great style and manners, with very 

 grand action. Many horses of this class are very fast, 

 and can trot up to twelve and fourteen miles an hour ; but 

 if they do seven or eight miles pleasantly and well, they 

 will be fast enough, as few men care to ride faster. 



The great defects to be avoided in purchasing a riding 

 horse are a loose weak neck — horses so formed invariably 

 getting their heads up, and being very uncomfortable to 

 ride ; low upright shoulders ; and twisted fore-legs — ren- 

 dering the horse liable to hit either the inside of the knee 

 or fetlock joint, which is very dangerous and likely to 

 cause him to fall. A shy, nervous horse, too, should be 

 avoided, as well as a hot, irritable one. Horses of a light 

 chestnut colour are very often so, and in company will not 

 settle into any pace. Ten miles is a fair average day's 

 work. The expense of keep, shoeing, &c, will average 

 3or. a week for one, but where two or more are kept it 

 will decrease in proportion. 



The Ladies' Horse. 



A perfect ladies' horse is of all descriptions the most 

 difficult to find. So many good qualities, which, though 

 desirable in all riding horses, may be overlooked in those 

 for men, are here absolutely essential. Fine temper and 

 courage, a light level mouth, and fine manners, are indis- 

 pensable. He should be from 15 hands to 15 hands 3 in. 

 high, with a good head and neck, fine oblique shoulders, 

 rather long in the body, with a good back and loin, deep 

 strong quarters, firm sound legs and feet. If the hind legs 

 are rather bent, so much the better; he will get them 

 more under him, and consequently his paces will be easier 

 — horses with straight hind legs invariably pitching most 



