MR. SHIRLEY.— l.S^24. 163 



BY HARK-FORWARD. 



MEET ALVESTON PASTURES, 1824. 



One day thi.s season, but I cannot recollect the date, 

 the Master met a most capital Field at the Pastures. The 

 hounds were no sooner put into the cover, than a fine old 

 wild fox went away at a -rattling pace, taking his course 

 towards Fir Grove. He then sunk the uplands, and pushed 

 for the Stour ; having swam that ri\ er in style, he boldly 

 passed on to Preston Bushes, and then through Admington 

 and Quinton, and away up to the top of Meon Hill. When 

 horses go at half pace up this hill, they appear to go quick, 

 if not well. The fences here are thick and strong, and the 

 country was so heavy that the best nags had no chance to 

 make play. When the summit of the hill was attained, the 

 pack for a short time lost scent, and came to a check. They 

 soon hit him off again, but the hunting was cold, while 

 reynard made head at a gallant pace. We followed him to 

 Pebworth, when our nags were beat, and our fox was lost. I 



1 Nothing, observed a A'eteran Sportsman, ran distress half-bred 

 horses more than the being eontinued a great length of time at the top 

 of their speed ; and even tlie best hunters should not, after veiy severe 

 aliases, be too soon brought into similar exertions ; numbers are 

 crippled, and irrecoverably ruined, for want of a little pnidence and 

 precautionary patience ; for, being brought into the field too early, 

 with a stiff rigidity in the limbs, and without the usual elastic pliability 

 in the joints, tlie spirits as well as tlie frame naturally become equally 

 affected by a consciousness of the deficiency, and the rider, upon making 

 the discovery, moves in little less misery than the horse, who, feeling 

 his temporary debility, is evidently in fear of falling at every stroke. 

 Any horse, having been greatly fatigued by a rapidly severe, or tedious 

 and long chase, is best recovered from the effect by a great deal of 

 gentle walking exercise upon the turf, and equally patient friction in 

 the stable ; for no horse, perceptibly affected in this way, and by these 

 means, should be brought again even into exercise gallops, until every 

 degree of stiffness is gradually worn away, and obliterated in gentle 

 motion, of which they are themselves the first to make a discover)-, by 

 their palpable renovation of spirits, strength, and action. 



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