370 HUNTING PRELIMINARIES. 



a standing one, is not an unmixed blessing, because it is 

 liable to catch in a gate which is being opened, and its 

 presence would then be apt to cause an accident. Fashion 

 requires a hunting whip with thong and lash to be carried. 

 On page 218, I have alluded to hunting whips. 



BANDAGES AND BOOTS. 



The danger of a horse over-reaching on his back tendons, 

 when he lands over a fence on soft ground, is so serious 

 that it might be provided against, although it does not 

 occur very frequently. As a means of its prevention, I 

 greatly prefer specially made boots to bandages ; because 

 they afford much better protection, and are not liable, like 

 bandages, to trip up the horse by becoming undone. The 

 boots may be made of black leather, and lined with woollen 

 cloth. They would often save a horse's legs from being 

 cut by wire. 



SOME HUNTING EXPRESSIONS. 



In Chapters XV., XVI. and XVII., several hunting expres- 

 sions are explained in course of description or by the context. 

 A few of those which remain will now be dealt with. 



" The Shires " is a term which, though frequently used, 

 has not, as far as I can learn, received an authoritative defini- 

 tion. Hunting men of the Midlands apply it as a rule to the 

 districts hunted by the Quorn, Belvoir, Cottesmore, Mr. Fernie's 

 and the Pytchley ; and not to particular counties. Thus, 

 although Lord Harrington's hounds hunt in Nottinghamshire, 

 a portion of which county is in the Quorn district, they are 

 regarded as a provincial pack. Again, the Blankney is not 

 in the Shires ; although several of the meets of the Belvoir 

 are in Lincolnshire, which furnishes a portion of the 

 Blankney territory ; the remainder being in Notts. 



" The Provinces" include all districts not in the Shires. 



