THE HUNTED STAG. 125 



or interfere with him. So long as he is rattled 

 along a horse will seldom stumble ; he has 

 had but one bad fall in all that time, and 

 has never been injured. His mare, it is 

 supposed, crossed her legs going up hill, 

 curiously enough, and threw him with his 

 head against one of the stones. His stout 

 cap saved him. With this exception he has 

 had no accident, an experience which would 

 seem to show that with a horse suited to 

 the ground, and accustomed to it, the 

 danger is less than it looks. But the horse 

 should be suitable, and accustomed to the 

 ground if the rider intends to follow closely 

 on the hounds. 



On surmounting the coombe-side there are 

 miles of heather, and often fair, level going ; 

 the walls occasionally are difficult, but the risk 

 is from the peaty places. Even in summer 

 these cause frequent falls, the horse's fore-feet 

 sink, and the jerk of the sudden stoppage 

 throws the rider, on soft peat, however, so that 

 it is rare for him to be hurt. These places are 



