GRASS COUNTRIES. 



Season 1887—1888. 



While the circumstance of foxhunting admits of its beino- 

 done to best advaotage on a polo pony, how is it possible to 

 promote it above the grade of cubbing ? Ride your hunters if 

 you will, gentlemen, and let us believe you have numberless 

 more, and plenty of the wherewithal besides in the supply 

 store at home. Huntsmen are holding to fourteen hands and 

 " nothing over." Masters can do all their duty on the same 

 standard — is not the outsider extravagant or insane who would 

 essay to soar higher ? A mad, fresh horse on the broken 

 hillocky soil of midsummer is an assured agent of mischief to 

 himself and his owner. A walk in the dewy morning has been 

 his allowance. To let him tear about with hounds is to undo 

 whatever good may have been put on him at home ; and may 

 very possibly result in the loss of his services at the time of 

 need and fitness. No — I will have none of it. I take m} r 

 turn with the unemployed. Give me rather the red flag of 

 Trafalgar than the banner of scarlet at Naseby. A horse a 

 day, mine editor, and only for looking at hounds ! County nor 

 Provincial bank can stand it. Another month of the same 

 sort, and business and pleasure shall be still further combined. 

 The gate-opener in pink can at all events earn his stable bill. 

 Newmarket, I verily believe, is a more economical place of 

 residence than Rugby, Weedon, or Melton, in this false and 

 extravagant October. At the first-named you can at least 

 restrict the ebullition of your fancy, and the sum you plank 

 upon it. At the others you are paying dead money for 

 excitement that has no existence, for a hazard that is struck 



