66 HORSE-BREEDING FOR FARMERS CHAP. 
attention is given to the model that is in demand ; 
but above all action must be studied, sire and dam 
must have the full-reaching, fast, high, true action, in 
which the shoulder works freely, the knee and hocks 
lift and bend, and where all the four legs, with every 
joint flexing, reach over the ground with the splendid 
movement—trhythmic, precise, true, and free—which 
is the just pride of the breed. The hackney, if only 
he is bred big enough, will find a place in the 
carriage market, for his hardihood and action point 
him out as fitted for this trade. 
As with: the hackney, so with the hunter, though 
I regard him as the king of the brute creation. I 
would not encourage the farmer without a special taste 
for the hunter and for hunting, to attempt hunter 
breeding. It is most difficult and risky, and should 
only be tried by those who thoroughly understand 
what a hunter is, how he should be made, and 
perhaps also how he should be ridden. To such it 
may be profitable enough, and happily for hunting 
men there are hundreds of farmers in England and 
Ireland who breed hunters, and many of these 
no doubt make money. But I do not believe there 
are many getting the best price for young hunters 
who do not either hunt themselves or have at least 
one of their family a bold and careful rider. If I 
knew of a recipe for breeding a 15- or 16-stone 
hunter, I would gladly give it. The farmer who has 
had the luck to breed such a horse will sacrifice a 
large part of the profit he should have out of him if 
_ he cannot ride him to hounds and keep him until he 
can sell him as a “made” hunter. Most farmers 
prefer the smaller profit and the minor risk of selling 
