Training the Whipper-in's Horse 



THESE long summer mornings give one an excellent 

 opportunity for crop-swinging. This may sound like 

 the most modern addition to physical jerks or a new 

 exercise in Indian club drill, but it is nothing of the 

 sort. A horse destined to carry a huntsman must be 

 taught to ignore utterly the movements of his rider's 

 whip, and it is towards the achievement of that end 

 that crop-swinging exercises are practised. 



Though the stock of a hunting-crop is sometimes 

 used to make a refusing horse change his mind at a 

 fence, the primary use of the whip is in connection 

 with hounds. A Whipper-in may be sent ahead to crack 

 his whip as warning to a sleeping fox, so that hounds 

 will not pounce upon him unawares and chop him in 

 covert. When hounds have found their fox this man's 

 task is to see that they leave covert promptly to the 

 summons of the huntsman's horn : a vicious whip- 

 crack hastens the exit of slackers. When jogging on 

 the roads a light flick of his whip gets hounds over to 

 his side of the highway while traffic passes. On all 

 these, and countless other occasions, when he is called 

 upon to swing or crack his hunting-whip his horse must 

 behave as unconcernedly as though he were eating his 

 corn. 



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