144 CONFESSIONS OF A HOUSE DEALER. 



tyro will know that the faster the pace in the hunting 

 field the greater will be the danger of accidents, when 

 riding a horse under great weight. But if he must 

 keep pace with the field, he must select a horse with 

 some blood in his veins ; I may almost say that racing 

 blood of the purest kind is essential in these days, when 

 fast runs are all the fashion. But where is the class of 

 horse now bred which combines racing speed with sub- 

 stance sufficient to carry a fourteen or fifteen stone man, 

 with perfect safety, over a rasping country ? 



The refuse of the racing studs are certainly not the 

 class of animals adapted for a service of this kind ; they 

 have been bred solely for their one single quality of 

 speed, they were never intended to carry a man only 

 baby jocJdes. The useful farmer's nag bred in some 

 countries is strong enought to carry an elephant at his 

 own pace, but that pace is not half fast enough for our 

 modern breed of foxhounds and style of riding up to 

 them. We want pure blood combined with great 

 substance to carry men of average weight with safety 

 and credit. There are many such horses bred, and are 

 to be procured, but the demand for them far exceeds 

 the supply, and it is no uncommon thing for gentlemen 

 to give from two to three hundred guineas for such an 

 animal. Is it not, then, desirable for farmers to turn 

 their attention to the production of such animals ? Ours 

 is the best horse-breeding country in the world. We 

 have, I am sure, both sires and dams sufficient, with 



