THE HUNTING FIELD 25 



and the instinct of self-preservation prompts you 

 to clutch what is in your hand — which is, of course, 

 the reins — to restore your balance. The horse has 

 meanwhile reached the summit of the arc, where 

 the slightest touch on the bridle must lessen the 

 width of his leap. The involuntary pull which you 

 took on the reins has more than restored you to an 

 upright position, and you are slightly forward of 

 the perpendicular. The horse then descends, and 

 the whole weight of your body, which is already 

 inclining in that direction, goes forward and 

 either lands you between his ears or brings you 

 heavily to the ground. 



You will therefore see that you risk making your 

 horse fall, in the first place by checking him in the 

 air, and in the second by throwing your weight 

 on to his forehand at the moment of landing ; and 

 that, even if he does not fall, it is highly probable 



that you will *^cut a voluntary." 



• ••••• 



A gallop after hounds is the greatest pleasure 

 that riding can afford, and I therefore hope that 

 it is your intention to take the field. Even if 

 the hunting instinct is entirely absent from your 

 composition, you will find pleasure in galloping 

 over fences, though the sport itself does not ap- 

 peal to you. 



I should always advise a boy to begin his hunt- 

 ing in a provincial country, where there is no crowd 

 and where he can gather some knowledge of the 

 sport. He should learn to take an interest in the 



