THE DANGER OF SLOW FALLS 385 



character. On returning home across Navestock Park I could 

 not resist the temptation of a flight of rails which " Carlow " 

 took in his usual style, and it was gratifying as well as credit- 

 able to hear the universal remark that the old horse looked 

 fresher and better than ever. 



Monday, November nth, 1850. This, the first day of 

 regular hunting with Mr. Conyers' hounds, was bright and 

 brilliant and mild, and more like April than November, and 

 pleasant for anything but the object for which a goodly field 

 had mustered at Fyfield. The Forest Hall coverts were as 

 usual drawn blank, and as usual the hurdles in the park 

 afforded the only sport which this pretty place could properly 

 show. Proceeding from Norwood to Wood End close to 

 Butt Hatch, I put " Wide-awake " quickly at a standing jump 

 with a wide ditch from me and a slight drop into the next field. 

 Instead of doing it with care, as I anticipated, he jumped short 

 and alighted singularly enough on his head against the opposite 

 bank and side of the ditch, throwing a complete somersault on 

 to his back with all four legs in the air. By great activity I 

 rolled myself clear of him as he pitched on to his back, but 

 even then was quite among his legs, and a great height his 

 hind legs looked while up in the air. I surveyed them recum- 

 bent on my back and saw that they would descend upon me, 

 probably striking me severely in his efforts to rise, when by 

 another exertion I rolled myself clear of his hindquarters just 

 before his legs descended and we both sprang to our feet 

 together, the whole affair, though lengthy to describe, occupy- 

 ing some ten seconds. 



I had just caught hold of " Wide-awake's " bridle, laughing 

 at the disaster and my escape from a very awkward and 

 unusually dangerous fall, when Beckington put " Peep o' Day " 

 at the same place in order to join me. Unnerved, or else 

 dismayed by the fall of his companion, he did not appear to 

 make an effort to clear the ditch, but jumped clean into it, 

 which was the more fortunate for his rider, who merely went 

 over his head without any danger of his horse falling upon 

 him ; but I thought that I should never have ceased laughing 

 at the droll disaster and on witnessing Beckington's unrivalled 

 agility in scrambling up, for having seen my danger he put 

 on the steam to get out of " Peep o' Day's " way, who was 

 emerging from the ditch, and finding neither of the four animals 

 damaged by their performance, there was no drawback to my 

 merriment. 



This comes of pottering about with horses fresh and foolish. 



25 VOL. n 



