THE HORSE, DIFFERENT BREEDS, ETC. 57 



Fifteen to sixteen hands mark the proper stature ; and his limbs should 

 be sinewy without absolute heaviness, while his feet should >)e of medium 

 size. He should be reasonably springy under the saddle, and active, 

 without dash, in light harness . To these he should add a certain thrif tiness, 

 that mil enable him to appear well even under good, close work, if well 

 treated ; and in temper he should be mild. His breaking in and training 

 should have been such as to render him readily adaptable to any work 

 that he may be called upon to perform about the country home. 



The hunter^ or horse for the chase, speaking mth reference to a 

 pastime which is still common in England, but to which little or no 

 importance is attached in this country, is usually the better esteemed for 

 having some blood, but more for the absolute feats of speed and leaping 

 which he may be able to perform, and for his ability to stand a hard 

 day's run. 



The best hunters are said to be a combination of the thorough-bred 

 with some coarser animal — producing more strength, substance, and 

 hardihood, with less length of body. He is at the present time what 

 may be oalled three-quarters bred ; and he is lighter and more fleet than 

 formerly. 



The engraving upon the page next following, entitled "A light hunting 

 horse," conveys an excellent idea of what tliis horse is now most commonly 

 found to be. 



That is to say, a horse of good style and form, capable of long con- 

 tinued exertion under the weight of an ordinary sized man, and also 

 capable of showing as high a rate of speed as possible, combined with an 

 aptitude to leap successfully such obstacles as may ordinarily interpose 

 In all this class of horses, whether they be light or heavy weight animals, 

 blood — that is, the possessor of a fair amount of thorough blood as trans- 

 mitted by thoi ough-bred sires — is absolutely necessary. It gives style, 

 form, hard and fine bones, muscular tissue, lung power, and all this 

 means endurance to perform feats under which the cold blooded horse 

 would soon succumb. Such a horse as the engraving shows will not only 

 make a capital saddle horse, but also a most valuable horse for general 

 utility, if properly broken, good for the light carriage and buggy and 

 good also at a load if properly trained and handled ; but let it always be 

 remembered that in as much as you put a saddle horse, and especially a 

 hunting horse, to labor, you detract from his value in the field. This is to be 

 regretted possibly, especially by those of somewhat limited purse, but such is 

 the fact nevertheless. The best work in many lines cannot be had at one and 

 the same time from one and the same animal. Excellence in some poiati 

 necessitates unfitness elsewhere. 



