with Rcmarlis on the present Breed of Riding Horses. 517 
valuable for hunter sires with " Voltigeur " or "The Cure," hut 
which may be shut out or frightened from competing with the 
crack racing-sires of England. At the Show above-mentioned 
there were several available horses whose merits entitled them 
to a first piize. 
The horse that we want to encourage for improving our 
breed is not necessarily the high- class race-horse, (though 
no doubt many of them are first-class in every respect — - 
many I say, though by no means all, for even Derby and St, 
Legor winners are to be found most faulty in shape) ; but the 
stout wearing jjlate-horse — one that combines constitution and 
stoutness, with good knee action and power. Such animals 
are rare among the present thoroughbreds, and therefore 
require encouragement. The chief faults of the common run 
of race-horses lie before the saddle. How many of these 
have thin withers and straight shoulders, are pinned in 
their elbows, and — worst fault perhaps of all — have upright 
pasterns, to which may be added a great want of power and 
constitution ! They have so long been bred for speed, and 
taught from yearlings to go on their shoulders, that they 
have well nigh lost the springy level action which is so 
essential to form a perfect riding-horse. I would not wish to 
be understood to advocate the half-bred in preference to the 
thoroughbred stallion — far from it : if the latter can be found 
with power and action, it is decidedly to be preferred ; but if such 
cannot be easily met with, then I advocate the use of a good horse 
with a stain in his pedigree, rather than a bad, weak, though 
perfectly bred, race-horse. This leads me to suggest that in 
Class I. it should not be deemed absolutely necessary that it 
should be for " the best thoroughhred stallion, but for the " best 
stallion " for getting hunters, &c., " pedigree being especially 
taken into consideration." I see, however, that the prize at 
Leeds is published for the " best thoroughbred stallion ;" and 
though I doubt not the quality shown will not be found in any 
way deficient or unworthy of the 100/., yet it is on the cards 
that a fine specimen of the high-bred hunter might be dis- 
qualified from competing by the insertion of the word thoroucjh- 
brcd. Of the large class of riding men by far the greater part 
know little, and care less, about racing and race-horses ; they do 
not want to see the racing cracks, but they do want to see an 
assemblage of hunting stallions up to 12 or 15 stone, and such 
may be now shut out, whilst a "Voltigeur" or a "Cure," who 
confer no benefit on any but the racing public, carry all before 
them. As " like begets like," is it not reasonable to suppose 
that a horse that has shown great jumping powers and lasting 
qualities over the country will hand down those especial qualities 
