ON HUNTING. 25 



thirty years, in England and Ireland. With much 

 gratitude and wood-touching, I fail to remember but one fall 

 which kept me out of the saddle. The fall that did me in 

 for some time was from a horse slipping up whilst galloping on 

 a road. And I never yet broke a bone. It's all luck. I have 

 gone half a season and never had a fall, and have had three 

 " bursters " in a morning. As regards the art of falling, 

 there are two text-book rules : " Never part company with 

 your horse till the last moment, and never leave go of the 

 reins." I agree with the latter, though it's not so easy, 

 but I disagree with the former. When falling, if you stick 

 like glue to a horse till the last moment, he is as likely as 

 not to pin your leg under him, and in the effort to get up 

 kicks you or rolls on you. He won't do it knowingly. 

 If you think he may fall, but are not certain, sit still by 

 all means if you can, because if you lurch forward your 

 extra weight suddenly applied will put him off his balance 

 when he might otherwise save himself. But if it is plain he 

 is going to fall, roll clear. In ordinary falls I think horses 

 seem to fall on the left side ; then you shoot on to your 

 left shoulder, roll over and get up before the horse. This is 

 the commonest and easiest fall of the lot. Where to ride at 

 fences, the pace required for different varieties of obstacles, 

 the use of ground, and other tips I hope to inflict you with 

 on another occasion. 



