THE HORSE 



141 



requiring the horse first to jump 

 down and then to jump up. In 

 this way that old blind man 

 hunted for several years. Some- 

 times the valet, not being so 

 good a rider as his master, 

 "came a cropper" in a ditch, 

 while the old man continued his 

 way, trusting to the instinct of 

 his horse, the horn of the hunts- 

 man, or the cry of the dogs. 



The taste for hunting is so 

 popular both in England and 

 in Ireland that a fox chased by 

 hounds and huntsmen puts a 

 whole countryside in commo- 

 tion. The plowman unhooks a 

 horse from his plow, jumps 



upon his back, and follows the hunt as far be a Thoroughbred. Others ride donkeys, or 

 as the beast has strength to go. The Irish race along on foot, or mount some vantage 

 peasant does better still, because the first ground whence they can admire the good riders 

 horse he can lay hands on is almost sure to and make fun of the bad ones. 



TRAiNiN(i TO Hunt 



1 hi; .Mi-.f.t 



