THE SELECTION AND TRAINING OF SHOOTING COBS. 283 



for sale there are at least three customers, but for a very 

 well trained shooting cob of the proper stamp, the demand 

 is still greater in the season. 



The difficulty in procuring a good shooting cob arises 

 from a want of union of the most essential qualities ; for 

 no matter how perfect he may be in every point of for- 

 mation, he is utterly worthless if he does not stand still 

 while his rider takes a steady aim, as also after the re- 

 port of the piece. It will, therefore, depend, to a con- 

 siderable extent, upon the manner in which the cob is 

 trained, whether he becomes suitable for this purpose or 

 not ; but care should be taken not to select one that is 

 constitutionally nervous, or with impaired vision, as in 

 the former case the report, and in the latter the sight of 

 the gun over or near his head, will form an insuperable 

 bar to his qualifications as a perfect shooting cob. On 

 the other hand, if his nerve and sight be ever so good, 

 he may be spoiled by an inexperienced trainer. When 

 a cob is selected for this purpose, he should be gradually 

 accustomed to the sight of the gun, and then the report, 

 by first snapping a few caps, and, if he appear to be 

 alarmed at this, let him be soothed and conciliated both 

 by voice and patting of the hand, until he be thoroughly 

 reconciled to his new business. This should be practised 

 in an open field, and kept up for about half-an-hour, re- 

 peating the lesson three or four times daily. Then load 

 the gun with a light charge of powder, and afterwards 

 increase it by degrees, according to the confidence which 

 he may exhibit, always bearing in mind, from the first 



