102 RECORDS OF THE CHASE 



Ridge and furrow prevail so extensively in this country 

 that it is scarcely possible to go into a field which has 

 not been laid in that form. When they are to be crossed 

 they are distressing to horses, and as they vary con- 

 siderably both in width and height it is desirable very 

 frequently to take them in an oblique direction to 

 accommodate the horse's stride. This will make a vast 

 difference in the animal's capability of endurance, and 

 especially with those which have not been accustomed 

 to it. Some of the furrows are very deep, and in wet 

 weather horse's feet will often cut in over the fetlocks, 

 if they happen to step in the furrows. To obviate this, 

 horses require to be nicely held together and ridden in 

 such a direction that their feet will not fall in the 

 deepest part of the furrows; which, independently of 

 causing horses to tire very soon, is apt to make them 

 hit their legs and produce over-reaches. 



An anecdote is told of Dick Knight, a very celebrated 

 huntsman to the Pytchley hounds during the time 

 the late Earl Spencer was the master. It must be 

 observed that Dick considered everything perfectly 

 unconstitutional which in any way interfered with 

 hunting. With a dolorous countenance he addressed 

 the earl, "It's all over with the country, my Lord!" 

 "What now?" inquired Lord Spencer. "Oh those 

 d — d canals they are cutting must ruin it, my Lord ; 

 there will be no getting across it after hounds." Now 

 had this zealous huntsman lived at the time railways 

 were projected, he would most assuredly have joined 

 in the cry against them ; for it was generally expected 

 that they would become such positive impediments as 

 to annihilate fox-hunting entirely. In this, as in all 

 other matters, experience is the most certain guide, 

 and railways do not present those obstacles which were 

 anticipated. Indeed, canals may be considered more 

 opposed to fox-hunting than railways, without pre- 

 senting any of the accommodations which are derived 

 from the latter. The surface of Leicestershire has been 

 extensively marked with railways. The Midland 



