H.I.M. THE EMPRESS OF AUSTRIA. lOQ 



When selecting his horses, it was no use to think that 

 a groom or any deputy could satisfy the Captain by merely 

 takmg the horse over a few made fences. Before the horse 

 became his property he must himself see what he could do ; 

 and that not over an ordinary course, but over anything in 

 the neighbourhood that chanced to come in his way : stone 

 walls, timber, or even those most dangerous obstacles the 

 double gates at a railway crossing, would be taken in and 

 out — nothing came amiss. 



But although straight riding undoubtedly is a proof of 

 nerve and pluck, a man requires to be possessed of some- 

 thmg more than either to prove a safe and desirable pilot in 

 the huntmg field. Even as the doctor requires to exercise 

 his skill with patience and sympathy, so the horseman who 

 undertakes this responsible position must not be lacking in 

 either. He must have a thorough knowledge of the country ; 

 must neither under-rate and still less over-rate the ability of 

 his protege ; must be able to keep one eye on the hounds, 

 and equally divide the other between his line and his 

 charge. If the latter is qualified to ride straight, whatever 

 confidence the pilot may have in his own mount it should 

 be felt equally for that of his charge, who should always be 

 equally well-mounted. Even then, the pilot must often be 

 prepared for a self-denying ordeal, for whatever number of 

 risks he may be prepared to take himself, he must be 

 anxious to guard against disaster to the one following in his 

 wake. 



From the fact that Captain " Bay" Middleton had the 

 honour ol being selected to pilot H.I.M. the Empress of 

 Austria (herself a noted horsewoman) across Leicestershire 

 and received Her Majesty's grateful acknowledgements, it 

 may be inferred that the gallant Captain not only possessed 

 all the necessary qualifications, but performed his allotted 

 duty with pleasure and satisfaction, both to the Royal 

 equestrian and to himself. 



Dick Webster, I remember well, as must everyone else 



