3IO THE CONDITION OF HUNTERS 



death of several hunters by dropping short at their 

 fences, and ahghting with the belly on the points of 

 dead stakes, or live growers, either of which will have 

 the effect of letting out the intestines ; neither does 

 it require a deep wound to do this, as the rim of the 

 belly is but thin. Once in particular I saw a most 

 distressing case, which occurred when Mr Corbet 

 hunted Warwickshire. Towards the close of a very 

 fine run, a brook presented itself to our career. Four 

 of us charged it in a line, and got well over ; but as we 

 were going, best pace, over the next field hut one, Will 

 Barrow, the huntsman, called out to Mr Tarleton, of 

 Bolesworth Castle, Cheshire, to this effect : — " Stop, 

 Sir ; your horse's guts are out." On looking at him, 

 I saw his intestines hanging down to the ground ; 

 and, it is almost needless to add, I saw his remains on 

 their road to the flesh-gallows the next morning. 



Now previously to the arrival of a veterinary 

 surgeon, there is only one thing to be done by a horse 

 which is staked. The protruded intestines should be 

 replaced as carefully as possible ; and, without any 

 time being lost, a pocket handkerchief should be applied 

 to the orifice so as to prevent the admission of air.^ 

 The saddle should be taken off ; and by means of the 

 girths tied together by the pocket handkerchiefs of 

 friends — for generally some of the field pull up on such 

 occasions as these — a bandage over the part should be 

 formed. The horse should then be walked quietly 

 to the nearest stable, and there await the arrival of 



^ Injuries of this nature nearly always call for immediate destruc- 

 tion of the animal. — Editor. 



