FOXHUNTING 



overcome a few obstacles should they get in the way. 

 I am perfectly sure by getting over these obstacles 

 to hunt and to get over the obstacles whilst hunting, 

 has kept me fit and active. 



Throughout my life my wife never ceases to 

 remind me that her new chances in life are extremely 

 small whilst I keep hunting the fox. 



Before I make my effort to relate a few incidents 

 that have come my way during my hunting ex- 

 perience, I should like to make a reference to the 

 foundation days of the V.W.H., the pack which has 

 absorbed most of my interest, and to make some 

 allusion to the succeeding Masters who have directed 

 its destiny. 



I have been reading again Lord Bathurst's book 

 on the history of the V.W.H. A well-appointed 

 book this, and one that is full of information on 

 many of the surrounding packs of hounds. One 

 gathers from it that the Old Berks is the parent 

 body of not only the V.W.H., from which it was 

 formed in 1838, but many of the present border 

 Hunts as we find them to-day. Let me put it in 

 Lord Bathurst's words : " It is now 102 years ago 

 that the V.W.H. country was carved out of the Old 

 Berks country," and in another passage he refers to 

 this carving process to form some of the adjoining 

 Hunts. 



What rather amazes me is that in these early days 

 of which he makes mention foxhunting was not 

 altogether the most enjoyable pastime. Here are 

 his words : " Foxes were few and far between, the 

 country was mostly open fields between large wood- 



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