52 FOX-HUNTING 



the fresh air for eight hours. I do not mean that 

 he should have hard horse exercise for that time, 

 but should be walked about. This routine is for 

 the summer months, before regular condition- 

 ing work begins, but it must be remembered 

 that plenty of walking exercise will make a 

 splendid foundation for the ordinary work which 

 begins later. I have already said that what I 

 advise is not always possible, but a pack would 

 undoubtedly be the better for it. When you 

 begin exercising you cannot give hounds too slow 

 work on the roads, and you can gradually increase 

 it. Two hours every morning of horse exercise 

 is sufficient if they are walked out again after- 

 wards, and then twice a week they should have 

 at least six hours with the horses. This may 

 sound rather a long time, but if you com- 

 pare it with a day's hunting, it is nothing. An 

 occasional gallop over turf the last fortnight 

 before hunting commences will put their wind 

 right, but fast exercise on the roads should not 

 be allowed. Slow work on the road hardens 

 the feet and is most necessary, but fast work 

 wears down the pad. In an establishment where 

 money is a ■ consideration bicycles will be found 



