258 FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



old, he saw hounds in the cub-hunting season. His 

 rider had the luck to drop into a nice little early 

 gallop, starting alongside a musical pack and riding 

 with them over a very practicable line of country 

 for fifteen or twenty minutes. The little horse — 

 he was only about 15.2 — caught hold of his bridle 

 and entered heartily into the fun of the thing ; and 

 there was henceforth no trouble in making a hunter 

 of him. He was a most sensible little horse, never 

 very fast, but quick and full of sense, and one of the 

 readiest horses possible at getting himself out of a 

 difficulty. Yet, on the whole, thoroughbred horses 

 of the right stamp are not sufficiently often met with 

 to be taken into consideration. 



The commonest and best type of hunter for general 

 purposes is the well-bred horse by a thoroughbred 

 sire known to have jumping blood, out of a hunting 

 mare. This is how most Irish horses are bred ; so 

 are most of the excellent horses which have come 

 from the Holderness country. These are among the 

 best that Yorkshire sends, and they generally reach 

 us through the medium of a dealer. The famous 

 prize-winner Gendarme was bred in Yorkshire. I 

 have seen and judged some good horses in Cheshire 

 too, but a proportion of these at all events come from 

 Ireland. Leicestershire has had a few good ones, 

 the prize-winner St. Donats being foaled within three 

 miles of Market Harborough ; and Mr. Fernie's 

 Barbarian has sired some good stock, notably Stella, 

 an excellent stamp of hunting mare, the property 

 of Mr. Roe of Cranoe. Visitors to the Melton and 

 Market Harborough Shows will be sure to see some 

 excellent young stock. 



I have also known some capital hunters sired 

 by Arabs. These are notable for their endurance, 



