226 FOX-HUNTING 



leading authorities appear to hold diverse opinions. 

 The description of fence at which you are riding 

 must, of course, influence you to a certain extent; 

 but my idea is, that the proper pace to ride at 

 every species of obstacle is a hand-canter. In 

 the case of a very wide ditch or brook, you may 

 put the pace on in the last thirty or forty yards, 

 but however big a strip of water it may be, your 

 horse should always be collected, going within 

 himself and not spread out. When I speak of 

 a hand-canter, I mean that a horse is going with 

 his neck slightly bent and his hind legs well, 

 under him. At this gait, by making only the 

 very slightest effort, he can bound over a fence 

 like an indiarubber ball, and yet if some unfore- 

 seen difficulty presents itself at the last moment, 

 he can easily change his legs or put in an extra 

 stride. A horse cannot jump properly when 

 galloping, and he must either pull up to jump 

 virtually at a stand, or shuffle over the fence with 

 the impetus of the gallop. Of course, I know 

 there is not always time to jump in the proper 

 style, and when the obstacle is not formidable 

 you can afford to gallop over it, but in hunting 

 you never know exactly what to expect, and it 



