SHOOTING HORSES. 231 



approaching game can dismount, and either tie up his horse 

 or give him to an attendant to hold, while he creeps up and 

 obtains a shot ; and if the game moves off, or is wounded 

 and gets away, he can mount again and follow without 

 exhausting himself by running on foot, and thus unsteady ing 

 his nerves when he requires to use his gun." * 



This seems to be but common sense. Then again 

 there are many kinds of game which are so swift of 

 foot that it would be quite useless to ride after them. 

 This is best done when large herds are fallen in with: 

 crowds interfere with the movements of game as they 

 do with those of men, and it is often possible to ride 

 up within shooting distance of a large herd, where a 

 single animal of the same species would in all probability 

 tire out both horse and rider, and effect its escape in 

 the end. Now game is mostly met with in twos and 

 threes ; this is the time when the stalking plan on foot 

 is so successful, whereas by reckless riding after a 

 small group of animals a whole country-side is disturbed, 

 and all game driven away for many miles in advance. 



We will now suppose that the plan of stalking game 

 with the aid of a shooting horse is decided upon, and 

 that the sportsman is proceeding to make his arrange- 

 ments accordingly. 



The principal requisite in a horse for this purpose 

 is that he shall be quiet and steady; a flashy, fiery 

 beast that is nervous and frightened of a gun, and of 

 the smell of wild animals, is a perfect nuisance, and 

 by his restlessness causes many fair chances to fail. 



A good shooting horse must of course be sound of 

 wind and limb, and ought to be strong, hardy, and 



* The Hunting Grounds of the Great West, by Colonel Richard 

 I. Dodge, U.S.A., 1877, pp. no, in. 



