28 



The hoof is an important point with the hunter ; it is so with the 

 racer, btit it is also a fact that many thorougbreds have but tolerably 

 good hoofs. The narrow, contracted hoof, is the curse of racing- blood ; 

 but the work of the race horse is performed on the turf, w r here the 

 hoofs are not liable to injury, while the hunter is frequently obliged to 

 cover ground, that is hard and stony, where his hoofs will soon suffer 

 if they are not very good. 



The body of the hunter, in comparison with that of the racer, must 

 be short and compact. A compact horse with a shorter stride will 

 hardly strike the ground, while in a longer stride the feet will sink 

 deeper into the ground and the horse exerts itself in extracting them. 

 Kvery rider knows that a short bodied horse can stand more in the 

 way of climbing, although it does not descend hills so easily. 



It is unnecessary to say, how important temperament and courage 

 are with the hunter. A high strung, irritable horse is very annoying, 

 and a timid one, that is inclined to refuse the lowest obstacles, is apt to 

 ridicule the rider. 



Air, exercise and feed are the three words, which embody the secret 

 of good training for the hunter. 



When the hunting season is over, the horse should be turned out, 

 as soon as possible ; let it have the entire month of May and the month 

 June partly or entirely ; but when the grass is scarce, the ground hard 

 and flies plentiful, take it in. Thus the whole advantage of a free 

 pasture, which no box stall or medicine can supplant, is obtained, with- 

 out the disadvantages of a too prolonged pasturage. 



THE ORDINARY SADDLE HORSE. 



This horse for various reasons is more difficult to obtain in its per 

 fection, than even the hunter or racer. The price of the saddle horse, 

 destined to serve so many purposes, is so low, that he, -who possesses a 

 good oiie does not care to part with it, and it may be considered good 

 fortune to chance upon such a horse. 



There are indeed many defects, that may be overlooked in the 

 hunter, but which the ordinary saddle horse must not possess. The 

 hunter may be inclined to run away, be awkward at a walk or even at a 

 trot, he may have thrush or corns, if he only galops along at a good 

 tempo, has good wind and endurance, and jumps well, we may be satis 

 fied. Hut the saddle horse, if it is to be good for anything, must have 

 sound good legs, good hoofs, a quiet temperament, must not shy, be 

 light in hand and sure footed. 



It is a mistaken idea, that the horse ■will never fall, if it only lifts 

 its legs high. The higher the animal lifts its feet, the greater the force 

 with 'which it will set them down, the rider will in proportion feel the 

 increased shock and the hoofs will be more apt to suffer. A horse with 

 great knee action will not always be fast, its gait will rarely be com- 

 fortable and in the long run not more scctire than others. It is a matter 

 of experience, that the safety of a horses gait depends much more upon 

 how its feet are set down, than upon how they are raised, and still more 



