The Whippers-in. 113 



The duties and responsibility of the forward 

 whipper-in are onerous and serious. To him is 

 committed the task of keeping hounds in check, 

 preventing them from racing ahead and out-pacing 

 the Master, stopping riot (if any), and turning 

 hounds to the Master's horn or " holloa," or stop- 

 ping them whenever necessary. He will frequently 

 have to hold hounds up even on a hot drag for 

 various reasons, and while watching his water 

 warily as he goes, noting every tendency to " mark " 

 on the part of leading hounds, and taking cognis- 

 ance of possible holts and hovers, one ear will 

 always have to be on the alert for signals or orders 

 from the Master : one eye ever on the bank to notice 

 spraints, or to seal or spur the Otter at landing 

 places. 



To do all this satisfactorily it stands to reason 

 that he must be gifted with considerable intelligence, 

 a love of the sport which will be to some extent 

 its own sole reward, great keenness and aptitude, 

 length and strength of limb, good wind, and 

 activity. Strictly speaking, no obstacle that will 

 not stop hounds should present any insurmountable 

 difficulty to the forward whipper-in. His eyesight 

 should be quick and good, and he should be able 

 to tell instantaneously whether hounds are on a 

 drag or at riot : since if hounds will run riot they 

 are more likely to break away in front than to go 



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