128 HUNTING 



taining to his stable, is not likely, if we may use a 

 homely phrase, " to spoil the ship for want of a ha'porth 

 of tar," by disregarding his own attire. He takes as 

 his motto, " The man should be as well groomed as his 

 horse." Often, however, he does not know how to 

 groom himself as well as his groom knows how to 

 groom his horse. He may try to do his best, but 

 ignorance, bad taste, or false economy steps in, and 

 the result is disastrous or ludicrous, or both. The 

 truth is that nobody but a sporting tailor can make 

 hunting clothes, and vice versa^ a sporting tailor cannot 

 make everyday clothes. There can be no better evidence 

 of this truth than the fact that West End tailors con- 

 stantly recommend their customers to breeches-makers. 

 Therefore, the novice should go to a first-rate London 

 maker for his breeches ; above everything, he should 

 never trust to local talent. 



Let us commence with the breeches, because they 

 are in our opinion the most important garment in a 

 man's hunting "kit," and a pair of really well-cut 

 breeches is probably the scarcest article of attire in a 

 man's wardrobe. Breeches which fit properly, more 

 especially about the knee, always appear to us to 

 enable a man to have a firmer seat in the saddle, while 

 breeches which wrinkle on the inside muscles of the 

 knee, chafe the flesh, and become extremely painful 

 after the wearer has been a few hours in the pigskin. 

 Experto crede, we remember once being unexpectedly 

 offered a mount overnight while staying in a country 

 house, and being compelled to borrow a pair of breeches 

 from our host. We forgot our discomfort during the 

 excitement of the run, but the ride home was agony, 



