228 FOX-HUNTING 



raises himself on his hind legs in the act of 

 springing from the ground, you should let his 

 head go, as, unless he can stretch his neck fully 

 out, he cannot exert the whole power of his hind 

 quarters. The exact moment of doing this is 

 known only to a horseman with good hands and 

 considerable experience. These are niceties in 

 the art of equitation which the beginner cannot 

 expect to understand, but that is no reason he 

 should not try to acquire them in time. 



The best pace to ride at a fence, I think, led me 

 into this discussion, and, as I have said, I consider 

 the canter gives a horse the opportunity of put- 

 ting forth his greatest strength with least exertion 

 to himself. If you want to make up ground, 

 gallop as fast as you like over the open, but 

 always try and steady your horse at a fence. 

 When you see a rider sticking the spurs in and 

 hurrying on in the last fifty yards, you will notice 

 his horse is almost certain to jump the fence 

 badly. There is much to be learned about riding 

 to hounds, and there are some men who never 

 seem to get any better; but if the beginner is 

 careful not to get into bad habits at the start, 

 he ought soon to improve with practice. Those 



