278 CENTURY OF ENGLISH FOX-HUNTING 



paraphernalia of our favourite sport, with the know- 

 ledge that we have nearly eight months before us in 

 which to enjoy it, I do not think that any M.F.H. 

 would be averse to seeing the members of his Hunt 

 at covert-side, while a few mornings with the cubs 

 are an inestimable boon to regular followers of 

 hounds. They can note at leisure with a view to 

 future convenience all trivial alterations in the 

 country, such as new bridle paths, the closing of old 

 bridle paths, fences which have been strengthened, 

 and, horror of horrors, new places where wire has 

 ^een erected, for it is wonderful what a difference 

 four months will cause in the riding character of 

 a country. If cub-hunting ended here there would 

 be no cause for complaint, but, unfortunately, mal- 

 practices have arisen which ought to be abolished 

 with a stern hand. In the first place, there is the 

 custom of sending out grooms to condition hunters, 

 thereby turning the cub-hunting field into an exercise 

 ground. Not only is this custom unjust towards the 

 landowners and farmers and annoying to the M.F.H. 

 and the Hunt servants, but it is also demoralising 

 for the grooms, who are tempted to lark over fences, 

 and to regale themselves too well at roadside inns. 

 Another new custom is that of using cub-hunting as 

 a means to break in young horses to hounds. The 

 idea that we hunt cubs at the personal invitation of 

 the Master may be exploded. It may be equitable 

 that a subscriber should be entitled to be admitted 

 behind the scenes and learn "how it is done." But 



