12 NOTES FOE IIUXTING-MEN 



many times in a season ; but it is for those rare yet 

 priceless occasions that every keen sportsman 

 wishes to be prepared. We soldiers train for years 

 for one day of battle, which may never com^e ; 

 similarly months of preparation are required for 

 one ' good thing ' with hounds, which must come ; 

 and I can conceive no greater misery to a good 

 sportsman than to be out of it when it does. 



As regards the number of horses needed, I 

 shall base my estimate on Midland requirements, 

 Number wliich are, as I have said, somewhat more 

 required gxactiug than elsewhere. I remember, 

 some years ago, asking a youthful relative to come 

 and put up with me for a month and bring his 

 horses. He wrote back saying he would turn up 

 on such-and-such a day with two, ' which,' he 

 added, ' will do me four days a week.' Needless 

 to say he ' did ' for them instead, for he was a 

 straight going youngster, who would as soon have 

 thought of going home before hounds as of shirk- 

 ing a big place on a half-tired horse. 



You will find it, as I have said before, an 

 economy in horse-flesh, though entailing an in- 

 crease in wages, to have two horses out. It is 

 hard, on a good scenting day especially, to have to 

 go home early ; but it is a more than doubtful 

 pleasure to ride a tired horse over a strongly fenced 

 country. And it must be remembered that it is when 



