In selecting a riding horse much must depend upon the size and weight of the rider. The best and most useful size is from I5hds. to I5hds. 2in. The most fashionable colours are bay, brown, and dark chestnut. A really good riding horse, with good action and fine manners, is very difficult to find, as he must be good-looking, well-made, sound, and temperate, with breeding substance, action, and courage. His head should be lean, the eye bold and prominent, the muzzle small, with large nostrils. The neck should be good and slightly arched to bend to the bridle, shoulders lie well back and strong, but not heavy and loaded at the points, the body deep and round, strong back and loin, with good deep quarters and good firm legs and feet. He must ride lightly in hand, walk pleasantly and safely, trot freely, with good action, and canter easily, yielding to the bit without pulling. He must carry the saddle well back behind the shoulders; nothing is so uncomfortable or looks so badly in any description of riding horse as sitting on the top of the shoulders instead of behind them. The price will vary according to his action, manners, and appearance, as well as the weight he can carry.

From 35/. or 40/. for the light blood hack with low action, to 70/. or 80/. for good useful sorts, and up to 150l. to 200l., or even more, for first-class horses of great style and manners, with very grand action. Many horses of this class are very fast, and can trot up to twelve and fourteen miles an hour; but if they do seven or eight miles pleasantly and well, they will be fast enough, as few men care to ride faster.

The great defects to be avoided in purchasing a riding horse are a loose weak neck - horses so formed invariably getting their heads up, and being very uncomfortable to ride; low upright shoulders; and twisted fore legs - rendering the horse liable to hit either the inside of the knee or fetlock joint, which is very dangerous and likely to cause him to fall. A shy, nervous horse, too, should be avoided, as well as a hot, irritable one. Horses of a light chestnut colour are very often so, and in company will not settle into any pace. Ten miles is a fair average day's work. The expense of keep, shoeing, etc, will average 30s. a week for one, but where two or more are kept it will decrease in proportion.