50 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



convenient. It is not given to every one to 

 be blessed with the necessary nerves to enjoy 

 jumping big fences, and though the acme of 

 pleasure can scarcely be felt at the conclusion of 

 a gallop unless there is within the rider's breast 

 an exultant glow of satisfaction at having gone 

 well, and that the good horse under him has 

 carried him gallantly over formidable fences, 

 still there is a very large sense of triumph to be 

 enjoyed by those who have contrived to see the 

 whole run, even though they avoided those places 

 the leaping of which has given the other so much 

 satisfaction. 



The rider who can hold his own with the 

 best, and yet has a perfect knowledge of hounds' 

 work, is a lucky man indeed, for he is a sports- 

 man of the highest class. Such a one, although 

 he may enjoy to the full the big fences, will 

 never ask his horse to take one unless there is 

 a necessity for so doing, and willingly acknow- 

 ledges that the position he may hold in a run 

 depends far more upon the sagacity and clever- 

 ness of the generous animal he may ride than 

 upon his own prowess, though some riders 

 appear to think that the whole credit belongs 

 to them alone ! But the man who thoroughly 

 understands hunting has had an additional 

 pleasure the whole time in noting how the hounds 

 have done their part, even when the pace has been 

 so great that it has taken him all his time to keep 

 near the pack, which he probably could not have 

 accomplished had he been less imbued with the 

 natures of both the pursued and the pursuer ; 

 whilst in a slow hunting run he derives much 

 satisfaction in watching each turn in the game, 

 when the man who hunts only to ride in front 



