TRANSPORT 59 



horse. In spite of his extreme boldness he was in 

 some ways a nervous horse (the two often go to- 

 gether), and could not stand a whip being cracked 

 on his back. Half-a-century bought him as a five- 

 year-old in Ireland, and three times that (which was 

 less than his value, but circumstances made his sale 

 desirable) saw him go to carry a distinguished lady 

 rider with — 



"The cream of the cream in the shire of the 

 shires." 



Fig. I, Plate IX., shows indeed one of the 

 "handsome is as handsome does" sort. This 

 mare served her Majesty for eleven years as a 

 cavalry trooper, and was never sick or lame from 

 any constitutional cause, or any fault or defect of 

 her own. A good record ! and we may well take 

 her as a good type for cavalry, though perhaps 

 some Commanding Officers might like a more showy 

 sort. 



The photograph is not a very good one, and the 

 mare is not standing too well, yet we can see the 

 points that have made her able to earn such a 

 record. First come perhaps great depth of girth, 

 unusually well-arched ribs, and wide hips ; these 

 mean constitution. Then come the long and, for 

 her stamp, good shoulders, the short, w^ell-timbered 

 legs, the good-sized, well-shaped feet, and the 

 straight, level, and sufficient, but not extravagant, 

 action (she retains the last at fifteen to sixteen 

 years of age). 



The photograph makes the mare look to be some- 



