88 HORSE-BREEDING FOR FARMERS CHAP. 
hocks clean and big, and I do not want little round 
ankles nor shallow or contracted feet. His head may 
be any shape if his eye is bright and intelligent, 
and his ears quick and active, and I would send any 
distance to a horse that is known to get stock that 
is sizeable, and that can gallop, jump, and stay. 
The qualities that are required in a hunter are sound 
wind, pace, stamina, jumping power, and limbs that 
will wear. The man who can earn a reputation 
for producing horses up to 15 stone that possess 
these qualities, even without attention to appearance, 
colour, action, shape of quarters or head and neck, 
may be well satisfied, for with these qualities the 
horse will always sell, and there are few with these 
attributes which need be afraid of criticism as to 
symmetry and action. 
As for the hunter sire, that is, “the cocktail” or 
horse not perfectly clean bred, he is a scarce article. 
The time will probably come when more cocktails 
may come to the front as sires, and perhaps some 
day we may see fine weight-carrying hunters, with 
quality and pedigree, but not thoroughbred, kept 
entire and getting fine hunter stock. There is no 
reason why man, who has evolved the racehorse, the 
hackney, and the coach horse by selection, should 
not also create a hunter breed. If this is ever 
done, the policy pursued by the Hunters’ Improve- 
ment Society will entitle it to be considered as the 
pioneer in the work, by recording the pedigree of 
mares, There appears to be nothing in reason to 
prevent those who know of a horse not altogether 
clean bred from using him, provided he has the 
other necessary qualities in a sire for hunter-breeding. 
