198 HINTS TO hoesemen; oe, 



It may seem odd to say so, but it is nevertheless 

 fact, that mere country gentlemen, keeping their 

 three or four hunters, are about the very worst judges 

 of horses of any man who is in the habit of keeping 

 them ; that is, there is not one in twenty who ever 

 makes a shilling by his horses ; they are, perhaps, 

 good judges of thier qualifications, and ride them as 

 well as most men could do — but they are no judges of 

 price. I have often gone into their stables, and heard 

 them name such prices as their value, as has produced 

 a concealed smile, at the idea of what would be the 

 owner's surprise, if his horses were valued by a man 

 who knew anything about the matter. It is quite 

 easy for a man to name a hundred and fifty as the 

 value of a horse he has no intention of selling ; he 

 believes him worth it, and .would only be undeceived 

 if from any chance they were ofi'ered for sale. To 

 shew the truth of this assertion, I went on a visit of 

 a couple of days to see a gentleman who hunted 

 regularly, which he had done all his life. Of course, 

 I, as a matter of compliment, asked to look at the 

 stud ; and into the stable we went. I began compli- 



