358 RIDING TO HOUNDS 



answering this description that never could see a run when the pace 

 was quick. The reason of this was — tlieu were not quick. They lost 

 time at their fences, and the// tcoiild not galloj). I am willing to 

 admit that the act of extending a horse over rough ground, and 

 among grips — particularly if that horse has a long stride and does 

 not pull together — is a greater trial to nerves than the generality of 

 fences; and is attended with more danger. The w^orst falls are those 

 which happen in the open field when horses are going at nearly the 

 top of their speed ; and it requires a finer finger to put a horse along 

 his best pace, over rough ground, than to ride him if he knows his 

 business over the stiffest and most difficult fences. In the one case 

 he sees his own danger ; in the other his rider must see for him, and, 

 by the finger, caution him against it. It is in this way alone that I 

 can account for so many persons that I have known and met with, 

 who, with all the necessary qualifications for riding to hounds, as far 

 as fencing and horsemanship are concerned, yet never see a run at 

 the best pace, because they will not gallop. 



There is another description of persons who are generally 

 defeated when business is to be done, and those are your very light 

 weights. In my experience of fox-hunting, I have observed that 

 men above eleven stone for the most part beat men under eleven 

 stone — and for this reason : the very light man says, " anytliing will 

 carry me; " and if he hears of a slight bit of l:)lood, which no man 

 of any size will buy because he cannot carry weight, he goes and 

 purchases him, calling him " a nice little horse to carry his weight." 

 The consequence of this is, as force must be opposed to force, this 

 nice little horse and his rider are knocked backwards and thrown 

 over by fences, which a heavier man on a heavier horse would 

 break through if he could not clear. I am no advocate for large 

 horses, but they must have substance and weight, or they cannot 

 get through a strong country. 



Putting fences out of the question, we may view this matter in 

 another light. We know that weight equalizes all horses of all ages 

 and all sizes. If, therefore, a man weighing only ten stone gets 

 horses only fit to carry ten stone, he can go no faster in a deep 

 country than the man who weighs fifteen stone, provided he be 



