THE BREEDING OF HUNTERS AND HACKS. 197 



the requirements of our stud-horse. If a country breeder 

 wishes to ascertain for himself the description of riding- 

 horse that is hkelj to make the most money, I would re- 

 commend him to stroll into Eotten Eow, between one and 

 two during- the approaching season^ where he will find here 

 again how *^ blood will tell/' and what Mr. Rice and Mr. 

 Quartermaine have to go in search of. 



Will the man who means to do better and give nag- 

 breeding- a fair trial be good enough to bear in mind that 

 much of all I have said as to the sire applies equally to 

 the dam? Let there be some shape and make, with 

 health and action, and the same warranty as to wind, eyes, 

 and hocks.- With rarely any pedigree to fall back upon, 

 appearance and soundness must be the chief recommenda- 

 tion of the farmer's mare ; and even such a verdict based 

 upon such conclusions must not be too hastily arrived at. 

 Many a comparatively mean-looking one has before now 

 thrown the best of stock, as that peerage of their order, 

 the Stud Booh, would assure us : mares that need care- 

 fully looking into before they are condemned or passed 

 over. To give an illustration, however, direct to our 

 purpose : about the grandest cocktails I ever saw wei'e 

 Mr. Foster's Combat, Challenger, and Nike, all capital 

 runners at welter-weights, and all the children or grand- 

 children of, I am assured, as common-looking an animal 

 as could be. The old mare had, no doubt, much within 

 her '^that passeth show," brought out as this was by the 

 cross to the thorough-bred horse. In fact, if the dam be 

 but clear of hereditary unsoundness, and with good action, 

 I do not think we should be too scrupulous in asking the 

 tenant to send nothing but the great fine slashing mares 

 which they would, as half-bred, be scarcely justified in 

 buying up. A friend in Devonshire has sent me a few 



