258 The Hunting Field With Horse and Hound 



We were "off again and on again and gone again." Rider 

 and mount had just settled down to a smart hard gallop and 

 were both enjoying the exhilarating sea air as we drove thi'ough 

 it in the ecstasy of the chase. 



The writer had discovered one thing, that while Tipperary 

 was a model of a hunter in many respects, she had a weakness, 

 and that was the strength of her will. When she proceeded 

 to take matters into her own hands and decided for herself, to 

 say she had a mind of her own is putting it very mildly. We 

 were saihng along like a yacht to a heeling breeze, with about 

 all the sail she can comfortably carry. We were in the wake 

 of a woman riding a grey hunter, but when about to overtake 

 her it was discovered that Tipperary and the rider had dis- 

 tinctly contrary views about slowing down. For some reason 

 the grey or its rider had a particular attraction for Tipper- 

 ary. When it came to slowing up a bit as we approached 

 a bank, for fear of getting too close and jumping on to the 

 fair rider, should she come to grief on the opposite side of the 

 bank, Tipperary would have none of it. 



The lady and the grey were on the best of terms — ^a couple 

 of sportsmen who knew each other and the country. Tip- 

 perary would not slacken and when she was asked to turn to the 

 right her head answered to the pull but her body was still steer- 

 ing straight for the grey. A big bank was before us and this 

 m.ust not go on, so hitting Tipperary a clip with the hunting 

 crop seemed the only thing to do to drive her to the right and 

 past, or at least alongside, the grey. Answering to tliis touch 

 of the crop, she veered to the right and leaped upon the bank 

 like the flight of a frightened stag, touching the top lightly 

 w^ith each foot to insure her balance, but "Saints and Ministers 

 of grace defend us!" — the drop landed us in a narrow lane. 

 Another bank faced Tipperary as high as herself, but she 

 never hesitated or wavered. 



She landed in the lane on all four feet, and as if her legs 



