THE NOBLE SCIENCE. 1)3 



or turning over anything practicable secundum artem. It 

 is ten to one that, by dismounting, you find that you get 

 off badly, in every sense. You lose your horse, and invite 

 a worse predicament than would, in all probability, have 

 befallen you had you taken the chance of a fall, on the 

 right side, together ; not to mention the danger of being 

 trodden upon in footing it, either with, or before him. 

 Some persons have acquired great facility in these pro- 

 ceedings ; and it is all very well for corpulent, or elderly 

 gentlemen, who do not pretend to a place. It may, also, 

 save a horse's knees, or, certainly, the jarring of his 

 fore-legs, in dropping into a road, when there is time to 

 do it; but, generally speaking, it is inexcusable, unless 

 where boughs of trees, or some such impediments, 

 render a place not otherwise negotiable. When hounds 

 are at fault, or at any such opportunities, it must, of 

 course, ease a horse materially to jump off his back, 

 and let him stand still, with his face to the wind. I 

 should have mentioned, at starting, after recommending 

 a careful survey of equipment, &c., that, where you 

 expect a quick find, and to be speedily engaged, you 

 should not omit a good canter, and a pull up, to open 

 the pipes. If a horse choke, either from being short of 

 work, or from any accidental cause of sudden and tempo- 

 rary distress, by patience, for a few moments, you may 

 very possibly effect his restoration, so that he may carry 

 you well tJn^ough the rest of the day. Slacken his 

 girths, give him all the air you can, and do not move 

 him during the crisis, while his flanks and nostrils beat 



8 



