Owing to difference in customs of the two nations, such horses as the English hunters are not the most desirable for use in this country, and the system of training adopted to suit the animals to the requirements of English gentlemen, are seldom called into requisition here. Still, as we desire our work to be as complete as possible, and as the method of training is interesting, though it may prove useful to but few of our readers, we introduce it. We take this spirited description from “A Holiday on Horseback,” from the pen of an English writer whose name is not given:
“A light built, gaylooking thoroughbred was passing into a paddock for a lesson in jumping over a swivel bush hurdle1. Without spur or whip, the rider—the horsebreaker’s son—rode the mare2 steadily3 at the fence, and she went over without touching4 a top twig5, clearing nine yards in the leap. ‘The great thing, sir, is to bring them into workmanlike ways; not to be fussy6 and flurried at their fence, so as to take off at the right spot.’ Then he went on to inform us that hunters should be carefully handled at a very early age, if they are intended to become temperate7 and handy. They may be ridden gently by a light weight with good hands, at three years old, over small fences. At four they ought to be shown hounds, but they should only be allowed to follow them at a distance, after the fences are broken down, for if you put them to large leaps at that age they are apt to get alarmed and never make steady fencers 33afterward. Above all things, avoid getting them into boggy8 ditches, or riding them at brooks9; but they should be practiced at leaping small ditches, if possible, with water in them, the rider facing them at a brisk gallop11, for this gives a horse confidence and courage. The old custom of teaching colts to leap, standing12, over a bar is now obsolete13, and they are taught to become timber jumpers simply by taking timber as it comes across the country—the present rate of hounds gives no time for standing leaps. The circular bar, however, is not a bad thing if in a good place and well managed. Every description of fence that your hunter is likely to meet with should be placed within a prescribed circle on soft ground, the man who holds him standing on a stage in the center. Another man, following the colt with a whip, obliges him to clear his fences at a certain pace, and in a very short time a good tempered colt will go at his jumps with pleasure.
“Here let me observe—for the conversation had ended—that no matter how carefully a hunter may have been trained, until you taste and try him in the field, it is hard to say whether the right stuff be in him. The best judges are often deceived by outsides and school performances. A few general rules may, however, be given, which will be found of certain application. In a hilly country, for instance, nothing has a chance against a pure thoroughbred. Lengthy14 horses always make the best jumpers, if they have good hind15 quarters, good loins and good courage. Extraordinary things have been done by such horses. In 1829 Dick Christian16 jumped thirty-three feet on King of the Valley; and Captain Littler’s horse, Chandler, cleared thirty-nine feet over a brook10 at Leamington. The most dangerous of all horses in the field is a star gazer. A hunter should carry his head low, as by so doing he is less liable to fall, and gives his rider a firmer seat. All wild horses lower their crests17 in leaping. It is, however, the peculiar18 excellence19 of going well through dirt which decides the real value of a horse for our best hunting counties. To find out this quality he must be ridden fair and straight. If he flinch20 on soft ground he is of no use. No matter how wide a horse may be, if he is not deep in the girth he cannot carry weight, and is very seldom a good winded horse, even under a light man. One of the best things that can be said of a hunter is, that at first sight he appears two inches lower than he really is. Short legged horses leap better and safer than long legged cattle, and go faster and farther under hard riders. Horses with straight hind legs never can have good mouths. He should have well placed hind legs with wide hips21, well spread gaskins, as much as possible of the vis a 34lergo, well knit joints22, short cannon23 bone, oblique24 pasterns and largish feet. The bone of a hunter’s hock cannot be too long. These are the points for strength and bottom.
“‘Handsome is as handsome does,’ and an old whip once said to a nobleman who remarked that his staunch old horse who had carried him through so many troubles had an awkward head: ‘Never mind his ’ed, my lord; I ain’t a going to ride on his ’ed.’ Indeed, what is called the perfect model horse is by no means the best. A horse’s constitution may be too good. Horses of a very hard nature, and very closely ribbed up, are large feeders, with great barrels, and do not make brilliant hunters. They require so much work to keep them in place and wind that their legs suffer, and often give way when their constitution is in its prime. Horses with moderate carcasses last much longer, and, provided they are good feeders, are usually bright and lasting25 enough, if otherwise well shaped. Finally, a hunter should be well seasoned. Few five year old horses are fit to carry a gentleman across country; for they cannot be sufficiently26 experienced to take a straight line. About fifteen hands two inches is the best hight for a hunter. His action should be smooth, or it cannot last. The movement of the fore27 legs should be round, not high; the horse should be quick on his legs as well as fast.”
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1
hurdle
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| n.跳栏，栏架；障碍，困难；vi.进行跨栏赛 | |
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2
mare
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| n.母马，母驴 | |
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3
steadily
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| adv.稳定地；不变地；持续地 | |
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4
touching
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| adj.动人的，使人感伤的 | |
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twig
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| n.小树枝，嫩枝；v.理解 | |
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6
fussy
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| adj.为琐事担忧的，过分装饰的，爱挑剔的 | |
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7
temperate
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| adj.温和的，温带的，自我克制的，不过分的 | |
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8
boggy
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| adj.沼泽多的 | |
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brooks
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| n.小溪( brook的名词复数 ) | |
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10
brook
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| n.小河，溪；v.忍受，容让 | |
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11
gallop
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| v./n.(马或骑马等)飞奔；飞速发展 | |
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12
standing
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| n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的 | |
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13
obsolete
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| adj.已废弃的，过时的 | |
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14
lengthy
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| adj.漫长的，冗长的 | |
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15
hind
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| adj.后面的，后部的 | |
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16
Christian
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| adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒 | |
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17
crests
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| v.到达山顶（或浪峰）( crest的第三人称单数 )；到达洪峰，达到顶点 | |
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18
peculiar
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| adj.古怪的，异常的；特殊的，特有的 | |
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19
excellence
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| n.优秀，杰出，(pl.)优点，美德 | |
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20
flinch
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| v.畏缩，退缩 | |
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21
hips
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| abbr.high impact polystyrene 高冲击强度聚苯乙烯，耐冲性聚苯乙烯n.臀部( hip的名词复数 )；[建筑学]屋脊；臀围（尺寸）；臀部…的 | |
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22
joints
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| 接头( joint的名词复数 )； 关节； 公共场所（尤指价格低廉的饮食和娱乐场所） （非正式）； 一块烤肉 （英式英语） | |
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23
cannon
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| n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮 | |
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24
oblique
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| adj.斜的，倾斜的，无诚意的，不坦率的 | |
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25
lasting
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| adj.永久的，永恒的；vbl.持续，维持 | |
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26
sufficiently
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| adv.足够地，充分地 | |
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27
fore
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| adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部 | |
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