PULLING. 447 



tire themselves unnecessarily, and generally have to 

 "shut up" before the finish of a long distance race; 

 for the steady plodding horse will almost invariably 

 prove the better stayer of the two. In hunting, the 

 pace will not always hold a horse, because hounds 

 may check at any moment, the start to a " holloa " 

 may prove a false alarm, and leaving out the uncertain 

 behaviour of foxes, a sudden stoppage may be caused 

 by an impossible fence, river, railway, or by a variety 

 of causes which would amply prove the fallacy of 

 the pace holding a hard puller in the hunting field. 

 As pulling horses are the cause of frequent hunting 

 accidents, I would specially caution my readers against 

 riding animals which they are not able to keep in 

 hand. 



If a lady is riding a good old hunter who insists on 

 going his own pace, she should interfere with him as 

 little as possible, even in her desire to steady him 

 over bad ground and at his fences ; because the large 

 majority of these animals have their own method of 

 doing business, and can be safely trusted to take care 

 of themselves. If they are unduly checked in gallop- 

 ing, they are apt to pull very hard, and greatly tire 

 their riders. I am, of course, alluding to good- 

 tempered, well-made hunters which go best with a 

 rider who sits still on their backs and trusts to their 

 experience and honour. 



Concerning the best kind of bridle in which to hold 

 a puller, I cannot do better than quote the following 

 remarks from my husband's book, Riding and 



