COERCION. 23 



Take your own line. If you be not afraid to gallop 

 and the hounds run on, you will probably find it plain 

 sailing till they check. Should a brook laugh in your 

 face, of no unreasonable dimensions, you may charge 

 it with confidence, a rash horse usually jumps width, 

 and there will be plenty of " room to ride " on the far 

 side. It takes but a few feet of water to decimate a 

 field. I may here observe that, if, as they cross, you 

 see the hounds leap at it, even though they fall short, 

 you may be sure the distance from bank to bank is 

 within the compass of a hunter's stride. 



At timber, I would not have you quite so confident. 

 When, as in Leicestershire, it is set fairly in line with 

 the fence and there is a good take-off, your horse, 

 however impetuous, may leap it with impunity in his 

 stroke, but should the ground be poached by cattle, 

 or dip as you come to it, beware of too great hurry. 

 The feat ought .then to be accomplished calmly and 

 collectedly at a trot, the horse taking his time, so to 

 speak, from the motions of his rider, and jumping, as 

 it is called, " to his hand." Now when man and horse 

 are at variance on so important a matter as pace, 

 the one is almost sure to interfere at the wrong moment, 

 the other to take off too soon or get too close under 

 his leap ; in either case the animal is more likely to 



