192 THE HUNTING FIELD 



fastenings and self-adjustings, that might be very 

 useful if the patentee was in attendance to work 

 them, but which had better be discarded in favour of 

 the common shoe, with a few nails to set it on with. 



What an unfavourable opinion of foxhunters any one 

 would draw who merely saw them arrive at a black- 

 smith's on losing a shoe in the middle of a run. To 

 heighten the loser's chagrin, after seeing all his lovely 

 companions gradually disappear, when at length, horse 

 in hand, he arrives at the pointed out spot, it's ten to 

 one but he finds the shop empty, the blacksmith after 

 the hounds, and the apprentice shading the sun from 

 his eyes with his hand on the top of a distant wall, 

 straining his sight after the pack. Then when the 

 unfortunate sportsman does get a creature to attend 

 his behest, what gaping, poking, and searching after 

 what they know they have not, work there is ; what 

 fumbling of dray - horse shoes, and measuring of 

 donkey ones, to see if they will fit. The eye seems 

 useless to some fellows, they are never satisfied a 

 thing won't do, until they measure it. If a man 

 has not a shoe with him, the only plan is to get the 

 best fitting old shoe the shop will afford put on. 

 Don't let the fidgetty sportsman hurry the man, or 

 he will most likely drive a nail into the quick. Let 

 " patience " be the word, and if on getting the horse 

 to the door, and leading him on a few yards, he walks 

 sound, let our sportsman remount and see if a lucky 

 check or turn will not let him in again. 



Some people are very easily "cowed" if we may 

 use such an expression in connection with hunting, 

 on losing hounds, and never attempt to catch them 

 if they once get away from them, or to fall in with 

 them again after getting a lost shoe replaced. Instead 

 of doing so, they indulge in all sorts of imprecations, 

 and conjectures as to the splendour of the affair they 

 are losing. A pack out of sight are always supposed 

 to be going best pace, whereas, perhaps, they are 



