258 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



jump stickily, or refuse, or possibly fall. The 

 first two contingencies are only likely to occur 

 in the scurry at the start ; for no one in a hurry 

 would be likely to select as a leader any one 

 whose horse, or himself, was in the habit of 

 stopping to look before he leaped ! The con- 

 tingency of the pilot falling must, however, be 

 always kept in mind by the followers who honour 

 him by riding in his wake ; and the " length-and- 

 a-half" allowed by poor Fred Archer, in his 

 celebrated reply to the one who remonstrated 

 with him for not giving him sufficient room, 

 would scarcely be deemed enough by pilots in 

 general. 



Q. Can any precautions be taken if a fall 

 appears imminent ? 



A. If, in the course of a fast gallop, a fence 

 looks very forbidding, or one's steed has been 

 jumping so carelessly that it seems odds on it 

 falling when approaching a fence that must be 

 cleared to get over in safety, it is prudent to slip 

 the stirrups on to the toes, instead of keeping the 

 feet well home, so that if the horse falls the feet 

 will get clear of the stirrups at once, and the 

 dreaded danger of being dragged is thus 

 minimised. 



When it is felt that the horse has made a 

 mistake, and is actually falling, the right hand 

 should be instantly pressed against the pommel 

 of the saddle, so as to push the rider away to the 

 left, when he will probably get clear of the horse 

 as they roll over together. The rider then falls 

 on his left side, with the left hand, that is hold- 

 ing the reins, towards the horse, and does not get 

 them torn from his grasp. 



