SPORT IN THE SHIRES 265 



It has already been noted that a Leicestershire horse 

 may or may not be handsome, but he must be some- 

 thing more than useful, and he must be thoroughly 

 fit to go, neither above himself for want of work nor 

 stale from too much of it. Many of the horses are 

 splendid specimens of weight carriers, for most men 

 who can afford it like to have horses up to rather 

 more than the rider's weight. The perfection of 

 Leicestershire condition is to have a horse a little 

 high in flesh with a thoroughly solid substratum 

 of muscle. It may be taken as a general principle 

 that a horse high in flesh will carry more weight 

 than one which works fine. This is the point where 

 the skill of the first-rate Melton trained groom comes 

 in. It will be seen in the case of the hunt horses 

 which, in spite of all their work, generally have a 

 bloom on them. You could not indeed do better 

 than look over such horses as Mr. Fernie finds for 

 Charles Isaacs or Mr. Hanbury for Arthur Thatcher, 

 and then keep the type in your mind for future 

 reference. 



The hounds, however, cannot fail to attract your 

 attention. With a beautiful bloom on their coats, 

 and in the perfect condition which is the first neces- 

 sity for a pack in the Shires, they look like speed 

 and staying. But it is not till you gaze closely at 

 them that you note this latter quality, for the grace 

 and elegance of their build gives them an appearance 

 of lightness. Yet, with a careful examination, you 

 will see the bone and muscle, and, should you at any 

 time pay a visit to the kennel and have the opportunity 

 of passing your hand over them, you will find out 

 what substance a modem fox-hound has. The bitches 

 look lighter than the dogs, but they have in proportion 

 as much bone as their brothers. The extreme wisdom 



