^I'nts" to 53iitJKiug Sportsmen. 35 



bestriding a young, green, or ungroomed horse, re- 

 collecting that hunters are heaven-born, and that it 

 is quite unnecessary for the colt to serve any appren- 

 ticeship in other hands before he reaches that state 

 of excellence which is adapted to your individual style 

 of horsemanship and supply of nerve. 



Invariably criticise and abuse the actions of the 

 hunt servants when practicable, and as good scenting 

 days and really first-rate runs are the exception rather 

 than the rule, and a fox is by no means so easy a 

 thing to hunt as a strongly aniseeded drag, you will 

 have many opportunities of condemning Dick, Tom, 

 or Harry daring a season. After the huntsman has 

 recovered the line of his fox, to the left, for instance, 

 after a futile cast to the right, it will be apparent to 

 a sportsman of your observation that he was a fool 

 not to have cast to the left first, and vice versa. 



The deeper the ground is, ride your horse the 

 harder, for it stands to reason that he must require 

 more coercion to get through it. 



Discard furrows, in which your horse might possibly 

 cross his legs, and ride for choice diagonally across 

 all seamy, heavy ploughs. It will be unnecessary to 

 point out that the faster you push your horse through 

 them the sooner you will reach the sounder going 

 beyond, and every good hunter should be able to go 

 well through dirt. 



