46 RIDING RECOLLECTIONS. 



hunters exceedingly speedy, was unused to jumping when 

 I purchased him, and from his unaffected delight in 

 their society, I imagine had never seen hounds. He was 

 active, however, high-couraged, and only too willing to 

 be in front ; but with a nervous, excitable temperament, 

 and every inclination to pull hard, he had also a highly 

 sensitive mouth. The double-bridle in which he began 

 his experiences annoyed him sadly; he bounced, fretted, 

 made himself thoroughly disagreeable, and our first day 

 was a pleasure to neither of us. Next time I bethought 

 me of putting on a Pelham, and the effect of its greater 

 liberty seemed so satisfactory that to enhance it, I 

 took the curb-chain off altogether. I was in the act of 

 pocketing the links, when a straight-necked fox broke 

 covert, pointing for a beautiful grass country, and the 

 hounds came pouring out with a burning scent, not five 

 hundred yards from his brush. I remounted pretty 

 quick, but my thoroughbred one in racing language, 

 " a good beginner "-^-was quicker yet, and my feet were 

 hardly in the stirrups, ere he had settled to his stride, 

 and was flying along in rather too close proximity to the 

 pack. Happily, there was plenty of room, and the 

 hounds ran unusually hard, for my horse fairly broke 

 away with me in the first field, and although he allowed 

 me by main force to steady him a little at his fences, 



