128 
ON BREEDING HORSES, &C. 
fox-hunter, to- come again to market as a best-priced hunter. But, 
how many horses come into a fair at the present day worthy being 
called hunters'? Very few, I can safely assert; and most of these 
are wanting in some respect, either as regards performance or 
soundness. Dealers, who have to buy horses of character or qua- 
lity, have to seek them in their owners’ stables; and every man who 
has bought a few horses knows to what disadvantage he stands as 
regards the prices to be paid, when the owner has to be told, “ You 
have heard he has a good-looking horse” (and this bit of flattery is 
necessary in many instances to get the chance of seeing him) “ and 
would not object to sell him,” for none place themselves in the 
position of wanting to sell a good-looking one now-a-days : it is 
something to get a refusal of him at his own price. I fancy this 
state of affairs augurs much of the scarcity of the animal. 
I recollect when Shropshire, Warwickshire, Yorkshire, and 
Lincolnshire, were wont to supply the majority of the hunters used 
in this kingdom, and I have but little doubt but at the present 
time more hunters are brought from Ireland to the English fairs 
than come to them out of our own country. Indeed, I think 
Ireland is getting an advantage over this country in the breed of 
horses, from the circumstance that mares for common purposes of 
breeding cannot here be sent to a first class stallion, in conse- 
quence of the price being objectionable ; it having become the 
fashion for the best stallions to cover thorough-bred and other 
mares at the same price, say from 10 to 25 guineas each; and these 
horses not being studded at every market-town, there is an addi- 
tional expense for keep and travelling expenses, and the breeders 
of half-bred horses will not pay such sums. The result is, being 
under the control of his pocket, he loses all desire to exercise his 
judgment in the selection of a horse, and sends his mare to the 
nearest and cheapest horse in his neighbourhood. There are, it 
is true, owners of good horses who allow these mares to be served 
at half price, whose liberality ought to be considered a national 
boon ; but then even it comes high. 
It may be argued, that farmers are not so disposed to breeding 
horses as formerly. This is an instance of an evil working its own 
remedy. The best mares for these purposes having been taken 
out of the kingdom by the tempting prices offered for them, they 
have bred from what they could obtain at a less sum ; and the re- 
sult has been, that not one colt in twenty has turned out good 
enough to pay his expenses at five years old, which was formerly 
considered the best age to bring colts for sale (although now four- 
year-olds are very readily sold to the same hands); and thus, find- 
ing so little hope of a remunerating return, breeders decline prac- 
tice. In other instances, the depreciated value of the colt has been 
