4 GENERAL VIEW OF RIDING. 



them properly in obedience to the indications of the hands 

 and legs of their riders, who need the requisite instruction 

 quite as much as the animals they bestride. Acquaintance 

 with these simple school " airs " is of more importance in 

 hunting than in race-riding, because the variety of conditions 

 is greater in the former than in the latter. 



Whatever may be our private opinion, it is impossible to 

 prove the superiority of one kind of riding over another kind ; 

 any more than we can say which is the best sort of fishing, 

 shooting, card game, dinner, wine, fruit, or anything else of 

 which there are several varieties that respectively serve 

 different purposes. All that we can affirm with justice is 

 that each kind of riding has merits which are not possessed 

 by other kinds of riding, and that these merits vary in import- 

 ance according to the special requirements of individuals. 

 We can, however, take for granted, that the greater number 

 of varieties of riding a man knows, the better horseman he 

 is. This fact has been recognised by all our great generals, 

 from Wellington to Roberts, all of whom have done every- 

 thing to encourage hunting among their officers. As it is 

 impossible under military conditions to give the rank and file 

 adequate instruction in 'cross country work ; ideal horse 

 soldiers are to be found as a great rule only among officers 

 of the Cavalry and " Gunners." In our Colonial cavalry, 

 several of the same type will be found among the men as 

 well as among the officers ; for in the Colonies, riding over 

 a " big " country is a common accomplishment of all classes. 

 On the Continent, the vast majority of cavalry officers, 

 though good at school work, know nothing about 'cross 

 country riding, as the term is understood in England, Ireland 

 and Greater Britain. The immense amount of practice in 

 riding which our officers get in India, has greatly contri- 

 buted to make them the finest horsemen of any army in 

 the world. 



