154 A Hog-Backed Stile. 



your life, Tom, when you fall. This is one of the 

 most important things to remember. It has saved 

 many a man from being dragged. 



A man who brags that he has never had a fall 

 may be set down as having never done much 

 hard riding. Many a time and oft have the very 

 best riders and their steeds entered the next field 

 in Tom Noddy's order : 



Tom Noddy i. 



T. N.'s b. g. Dan 2. 



And yet how few bones there are broken for the 

 number of falls. A good shaking up is all there 

 is to it, as a rule. When a man mellows into 

 middle life — (how much farther on in years 

 middle life is when we are well past forty than 

 when we are twenty-five !) — he is apt to feel dis- 

 creet, because conscious that a bad spill may 

 hurt him worse than in his youth, and he will 

 look upon a " hog-backed stile " as a thing requir- 

 ing a deal of deliberation, if not a wee bit jump- 

 ing-powder. He will avoid trying conclusions 

 whenever he can. But at your age and with your 

 legs, on that mare of yours, Tom, you should go 

 anywhere, if she will learn to jump cleverly. 



Your feet should be " home " in the stirrups, 

 and you will naturally throw them slightly back- 

 ward as you hold on, toes down, because it both 

 gives you the better grip and keeps your stirrup 



