72 EVEKY ONE HAS HIS HOBBY, 



tation of saying, "If a horse cannot take care of him- 

 self, his rider will not give himself the trouble of 

 taking care of him," is but an empty boast, and a 

 little attempt to impress others with an idea of the 

 importance of the boaster. A sensible man, a good 

 horseman, and good sportsman, smiles at the absurdity, 

 and sees through the flimsy veil that only very 

 partially conceals a very weak head and not over 

 kind heart. Few persons admire affectation anywhere 

 or in any person : in a boy or very young man in a 

 drawing-room it may be tolerated ; but in the hunting 

 field it is as misplaced, ridiculous, and in fact disgust- 

 ing, as stable or kennel observations and conversation 

 would be in a lady's boudoir. 



Let us not, however, misconstrue the term " as- 

 sisting a horse across a country." We hear persons 

 saying, such a man is very strong on his horse : that 

 he absolutely lifts him over his fences. I am inclined 

 to think this term " lifting " is a little exaggerated ; 

 and to doubt whether it is or not the pain the 

 horse suffers from a strong arm on the bridle that 

 causes him to make a great exertion to rise at a large 

 fence, and induces people to think his rider has, as 

 it is termed, lifted him over ; for with most horses, 

 I conceive it is only his head and neck we lift, and 

 that he lifts his fore-quarters from the signal, or 

 perhaps pain given him. As some attempt at eluci- 

 dating this, let us place a man astride a four-legged 

 bench of (say) five feet in length and he in the 

 middle of it, of course his feet not touching the 

 ground : we will fasten a pair of strong bridle reins 

 to the end of it : our seated horse, or rather bench, 

 man may lift as long as he pleases, he cannot lift the 

 end of it. Let him put his feet on the ground, he 



