22 RIDING FOR LADIES. 



there Is nothing more charming than sympathy between 

 the human and the brute creation. Horse and rider should 

 be on the best of terms, and all will then go right. 



In a former work of mine on equitation, I made repeated 

 mention of a hunter I once possessed, called " Pleader." I 

 gave him that name because his sire was " The Lawyer," a 

 very famous horse. " Pleader " and his mistress were on 

 the most affectionate terms — brother and sister we were, 

 that horse and I ; certainly no two ever loved one another 

 better — and this despite the fact that I had given him 

 many a good whipping, for I trained him myself, and he 

 was a rare hard one to bring to his manners ; but he knew 

 quite as well as I did that it was for his good, and so he 

 loved me none the less. I rode him subsequently to 

 hounds for three seasons, without ever giving him so much 

 as a warning touch. When we fell together — and how often 

 we did ! — he waited for me to get up ; and when he was 

 the first on his legs, although trembling with excitement 

 to scurry away with the rest, he would stand patiently 

 for me to remount him. That horse's training was not 

 thrown away. He carried me in the first flight through 

 two long and trying runs, the very day previous to that on 

 which I met the accident that deprived me of the power 

 of ever riding him again, and he is now carrying in similar 

 splendid style a noble and popular master of hounds, the 

 Earl of Eglinton and Winton, gaining honourable mention 

 in the Field and other sporting papers. I sold him to a 

 good master and a good home, and when he shall have 

 finished his work (if I am spared to see it) he has been 



