646 REMARKS ON THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS. 
Exercise or exertion is likewise attended with similar results. 
The fat ox prepared for the butcher is a very different animal, 
when examined by the knife of the anatomist, from the ox that 
labours daily in his yoke, even although both be fed alike : 
proving, that exercise or exertion of itself has much to do with 
the constitution of the animal machine. In fact, Nature, ever 
provident, but never superfluous, to use a vulgar adage, “ fits 
the back to the burden.” To do this, she requires material to 
work with. Should the burden required to be borne be great— 
the labour to be done heavy—the body must be furnished with 
such food as is susceptible of conversion into materials of strength 
and durability : at the same time, the bodily powers must be such 
as are equivalent to this process of conversion. A state of obe¬ 
sity results from good feeding, combined with rest ; a state of 
bodily strength, and aptitude for exertion, results from good feed¬ 
ing, combined with regular and continued exercise. In the one 
case, the alimentary material is expended in the production of fat; 
in the other, it is consumed in the augmentation and invigoration 
of the physical and vital faculties. The pursuance of this sub¬ 
ject would lead us. far away from the road of the sportsman, as 
well as to the introduction of matter not, perhaps, altogether ap¬ 
plicable on the present occasion. We shall, therefore, proceed 
to make a practical comment or two on the innovations proposed 
by Nimrod. 
Although our author modestly disclaims being the originator 
of this new’ “ system,” I have had an opportunity of hearing of, 
or seeing, numerous studs of hunters summered in this manner, 
belonging to sportsmen of the very first order, who adopted it long 
before I put pen to paper on the subject. Among others, I called 
on Mr. Hudson, the Earl of Plymouth’s groom, whose opinion, 
as one of the best hunting grooms in England, I was anxious to 
obtain. I found that he carried the object of condition still fur¬ 
ther than I do, as he informed me that all those horses of his lord¬ 
ship’s which were fresh (not flesh) on their legs were walked out 
for an hour or two every morning during the summer. It ap¬ 
peared that Mr. Hudson had never heard of my (Nimrod’s) let¬ 
ters ; but when we came to compare notes on the subject of the 
condition of hunters, I could almost have persuaded myself that 
he had been the author of them, instead of myself, so exactly did 
our sentiments tally. With respect, however, to giving hunters 
walking exercise during the summer, he there goes a step beyond 
me; but, on mature reflection, I am convinced he is right. i When 
horses are fresh, and well on their legs,’ said Mr. Hudson, 4 the 
advantage of always keeping them going in this gentle way is in¬ 
calculable at the commencement of the season. It invigorates 
