256 



LEAVES FROM A HUNTING DIARY 



Hunting away from home the day after the County Ball at Shaftesbury, 

 I renewed my acquaintance with the Wiltshire and Dorsetshire doubles. 

 On the same day the Essex Hounds had an eventful run from Latton Park 

 to the Ongar Park country, and hounds were running well, as they generally 

 do before a frost in nearly every county in England. To return to my day 

 with the South Wilts and the breakfast meet at Pyt House. We had a 

 big gathering of the clans on that occasion, including many soldiers, one of 

 whom during the day had the bad luck to break his horse's back just in 

 front of me. He had the animal shot at once, without consulting the 



Miss Amy Beatrix Harenc on "Robin" 



owner or a vet., and I am told that if you hire a horse and break its back, 

 you may be held responsible for its loss, even if its back is broken — unless 

 the actual owner has given his consent, or a vet. is present. If this is so, 

 it would be rather hard upon the wretched horse to have to wait for its 

 owner's consent, or a vet.'s sanction, to put an end to its sufferings. 



Throwing off late, hounds did not get on to a fox before 2'i5; but 

 when they did they hunted on with few checks till 5 p.m., by which time 

 only a dozen were left out of a large field. Wliy did you go home, Mr. 

 Mason, and miss the best bit of the lot when, running at hot pace on the 

 grass over a very delightful country, hounds marked their fox to ground in 

 the Blackmore Vale country? — the two Miss Grosvenors, Colonel Mansel, 



