ON HUNTING. 45 



VI. 



RIDING AND JUMPING. 



IT seems to me, on looking over earlier letters, that you 

 may with some justice charge me with putting things 

 a bit out of their place. I have talked about riding to 

 hounds and performing all sorts of valiant feats, and 

 then here I am tamely harking back to the rudiments 

 of the business. But I do not mind admitting that there 

 was a little method in this upside-down process. If I had 

 inflicted you with all this dull stuff at first, you might not 

 have stuck to me till I had reached the more advanced 

 stage, so I tried to fire your ardour and so coax you along 

 with me. 



It is inculcated into the cavalry recruit that the 

 horse must be his friend and that in dealing with horses it 

 is mutual confidence which makes mutual good-will. In- 

 telligence is fostered by an absence of fear. A horse is highly 

 strung, and if treated with kindness is capable of splendid 

 effort and much intelligence, but if knocked about soon 

 becomes a dangerous brute or sullen clod. So get on good 

 terms with every horse you ride. Look round to see that 

 all is right with the gear, the bridle and saddle fitting properly 

 and the girths fairly tight — not too tight. You can hitch 

 them up a hole later on when you have gone a mile or 

 two. If you try to do it before you start the horse blows 

 himself out and will not let you. You never need girth 

 very tight if the horse is of a good shape. Before you 

 mount take the reins and whip all in the left hand. 

 Never mount with the whip in the right hand, because 

 the horse, if nervous, will imagine as you swing over the 

 saddle that you are going to hit him. Tighten the off-rein 



