234 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



balanced, it is extraordinary what a distance of 

 ground he can cover in his stride, if only he has 

 a bold heart. A shrinking craven brute, that 

 always stops when a ditch is before him to look 

 " if there is sixpence at the bottom of it " — as 

 that splendid rider the late Mr. " Fluffy " Robinson 

 used to describe it — is no mount for a first-flight 

 man ! Alas, that free style of riding is almost a 

 thing of the past ! For unless possessed of such 

 local knowledge that the hidden secrets of every 

 fence are known, the dread of barbed wire in- 

 duces a cautious manner of riding, that formerly 

 was quite unneeded. 



" A good horse never falls " is an excellent 

 maxim to bear in mind ; and it is indeed astonish- 

 ing how extremely rarely a really good horse ever 

 comes quite down. He may apparently be trapped 

 over and over again, but he always has a leg 

 to spare, and rights himself after a vigorous 

 scramble. A horse that comes down more than 

 twice or thi'ice in twice as many seasons should 

 never be retained in a first-class stable. There is 

 something wrong with either his conformation 

 or his intelligence. 



Different fences naturally require riding at in 

 a different way, and a steed that knows how to 

 adapt himself to all, and understands how to do 

 them, is a treasure indeed. Timber requires 

 careful handling, and should not be raced at, 

 unless there is a wide drain on the further side, 

 or much ground has to be covered. A firm hold 

 should be taken of the bit, and the horse collected 

 well on to his haunches, if the timber is strong 

 and high. My own practice has ever been to ride 

 as close to the post as possible, from the belief 

 that this makes it easier for the horse to correctlj^ 

 gauge the height. 



