236 THE COACHING AGE. 



announcement, which beats all the others hollow, 

 could not possibly fail — ' Eequired a perfect pony for 

 little girl 13.2 in height ; about seven years old.' 

 I do not feel equal to commenting on this extra- 

 ordinary child, haying never seen or heard of anything 

 like her. 



The reasons which owners assign for parting with 

 their horses are numerous and curious, as will be seen 

 from those which follow ; but perhaps about the most 

 candid and unanswerable is, ' Lady's horse for sale, 

 cheap, as the owner is unable to ride ;' ' the property 

 of a gentleman who is retiring to — ,' ' who is giving 

 up hunting,' ' the owner going abroad,' ' who is not 

 going to hunt next season,' ' who is breaking up his 

 establishment,' ' owing to the death of the owner,' 

 ' who is unable to hunt next season,' etc., etc., quos 

 nunc prcBscribere longuin est. Why it is necessary 

 that the purchasers should be made acquainted in all 

 these instances with the sellers' affairs I do not, as I 

 have before observed, understand ; but it seems to be 

 the correct thing to do, judging from the numerous 

 instances in which it occurs. 



One person has ' Two horses, both movers in 

 harness,' to dispose of. I suppose they would not be 

 much use in harness if they didn't move ; but the rate 

 at which they will move is cleverly omitted. Another 

 person has for disposal 'A dark-brown nobleman's 



