127 
ON BREEDING HORSES, &C. 
second generation, or whose blood has been sought by breeders ; 
and then observe the animals that form the entries for our great 
handicaps of late years. Take about 20 out of the 130 entries 
for the Chester cup, and behold what a stud, except as race- 
horses, from which a share of the future stock of this country is to 
be produced. Still, most of them are good enough to win, in their 
turn, some moderate stake during their career, either by getting 
favourably handicapped, meeting a field of the same class, or some 
other fortuitous circumstance resulting from the present system of 
racing. As regards the scarcity of hunters, I feel confident that 
“ Pegasus” is in error, when he observes in Bell's Life of the 6th 
instant, in refutation of Sir Harry ’Smith’s assertion, “ that it 
would be difficult to obtain 500 hunters, if required, for the use 
of the cavalry,” that 5000 could be easily bought, if wanted. 
Pegasus has evidently not been in the market for the last few 
years, or he would know better ; and, moreover, would be satisfied 
that the higher class of horses are every year more difficult to be 
found. Ask Elmore, Smart, Kench, Anderson, Collins, or any 
other dealer in the best description of horse, the difference in ex- 
pense incurred between now and some few years back to find 
them; and I feel little doubt but they would confirm my statement, 
that they at the present day spend more money in travelling, and 
paying others on the look-out for them, than some years back 
would have half purchased them. I am of opinion that none of 
them would undertake a contract to supply 500 well-bred, clean, 
sound horses, under eight years old, perfect as hunters, and equal 
to fourteen stone, with one month’s notice at the commencement 
of the season, at 150 guineas each. They are not to be found 
without great exertion, and a perfect knowledge of the where- 
abouts of almost every hunter of character in the kingdom ; and, 
after that, the judgment is required to select the class of hunter 
for the different countries they are afterwards to perform in ; and 
this latter forms no small share of the task, whether constructed 
for the speed and flying propensities so essential in Leicestershire, 
Northamptonshire, or the best part of the Warwickshire country; 
for the compactness and strength so much better adapted for the 
deep country about the Worcestershire and Warwickshire wood- 
lands ; or possessing those qualities suitable for the Surrey hills, 
or the Gloucestershire walls, &c. There are no men more alive to 
the scarcity of such animals than the farmers in Shropshire, 
Cheshire, Warwickshire, Northamptonshire, and Lincolnshire, 
and who, at the Stourbridge, Rugeley, Rugby, Horncastle, 
and Lincoln fairs, were the purchasers of the well-bred, good- 
looking, three or four year olds, with them to undergo his years of 
tuition and probation, and, if not before sold to some neighbouring 
