150 FOX-HUNTING 



I think the best plan will be to begin with the 

 commencement of a day's hunting, and then we 

 can discuss the questions affecting each particular 

 moment. We will suppose you have drafted your 

 hounds the previous day, and all are ready to start 

 when the kennel-doors are opened. A very im- 

 portant thing here occurs to me, and it is, that 

 your horse should be quiet with hounds, for when 

 they first greet the man who hunts them, they 

 are certain to jump up in a way liable to frighten 

 any horse unused to them. Hounds should be 

 always taken slowly to the meet, and in warm 

 weather the horses should hardly go out of a 

 walk, but on ordinary occasions the rate may 

 be set down at six miles an hour. The whippers- 

 in like to have the pack in close order, all crowded 

 up together ; but when going to the meet the 

 huntsman should see they have plenty of room. 

 At this time the first whipper-in should be fifty 

 yards in front of the huntsman, and the second 

 the same distance behind him. 



On a fine morning, after an early start has 

 been made and there is no need to hurry, as he 

 jogs quietly to the meet, the huntsman will look 

 leisurely from one hound to another, marking the 



