154 RIDING RECOLLECTIONS. 



with scarce an effort, while an unwashed hand bestows 

 its caress on the reeking neck that will hereafter thicken 

 prodigiously in some Saxon stable on a proper allow- 

 ance of corn. If you are riding an Irish horse, you 

 cannot do better than imitate closely every motion 

 of the pair in front. If not, you will be wise, I 

 think, to turn round and go home. 



Presently we will hope, for the sake of the neophyte, 

 whose condition is by no means on a par with his 

 natural powers, the hounds either kill their fox, or 

 run him to ground, or lose, or otherwise account for 

 him, thus affording a few minutes' repose for breath- 

 ing and conversation. " It's an intrickate country," 

 observes some brother-sportsman with just such another 

 mount to the veteran I have endeavoured to de- 

 scribe ; " and will that be the colt by Chitchat out 

 of Donovan's mare ? Does he ' lep ' well now ? " he 

 adds with much interest. "The beautifullest ever 

 ye see ! " answers his friend, and nobody who has 

 witnessed the young horse's performances can dispute 

 the justice of such a reply. It is not difficult to under- 

 stand that hunters so educated and so ridden in a country 

 where every leap requires power, courage, and the 

 exercise of much sagacity, should find little difficulty 

 in surmounting such obstacles as confront them on 



