KIDING TO HOUNDS 187 



It is the general opinion that thorou<?hbred horses cannot 

 leap so well as cocktails : I think otherwise ; and if you 

 will try the experiment, by taking ten young horses of the 

 former and ten of the latter sort, I am convinced you will 

 find the thoroughbred ones to have the advantasre, and 

 naturally to clear their fences with more ease to them- 

 selves. Horses that have been in training for years cannot 

 be expected to make hunters ; but, nevertheless, what 

 superiority has a thoroughbred one in every respect — 

 above all, in speed, bottom, and wind ? It often happens, 

 when a cocktail is at the height of his speed, a thorough- 

 bred horse is only at three-quarters, and the latter will 

 always go through dirt (as the term is) best." 



In the selection of a hunter, a primary consideration is 

 the nature of the country to be hunted over. In stony 

 and thickly-enclosed countries, the heavier and lower-bred 

 horse may get along creditably ; but in the best countries 

 where " racing " is required, such an animal is " out of the 

 hunt " in no time. Where a heavy, deep soil predominates, 

 presenting also a large portion of ploughed ground, inter- 

 sected by wide and strong fences, Tike those of Essex and 

 some of the Midland counties, such localities will require a 

 horse of sufficient height with much substance ; while one 

 with lighter build, and in height not exceeding fifteen 

 hands and a half, is best adapted to a hilly country. 



The sportsman who rides a welter weight should always 

 be " over-horsed." It is imperative on him that he be 

 mounted on one presenting a combination of power, 

 activity, and durability. These are essential requisites 

 to him ; and when such a form is united with high 

 breeding, the rider, spite of his weight, may hope to 

 be in the right 'place. Some Irish horses are well 

 adapted for the purpose of carrying heavy weights ; and 

 if they do not always go at a racing pace, their admirable 

 fencing will tend to make up the deficiency. Neither are 

 the Irish hunters at the present time defective in their 

 breeding, as their local races and steeple-chases testify. 



As to the choice of a hunter, a condensed enumeration 

 of his "points" will serve to form an ideal of his best 

 form. 



The first property of a good hunter is that he should be 

 light in hand. His head must be moderately small, the 

 neck thin beneath, the crest firm, the jaws wide ; it will 



