IN THE HUNTING-FIELD. 227 



services of one, and cut out a line for youYseXi^ pi'ovided 

 that you are mounted on a really first-class animal, one well 

 up to your weight, and endowed with an infallible know- 

 ledge of where to put his feet. Keep the hounds in sight 

 if you can, or, at any rate, within hearing, and ride rather 

 wide of them, to right or left ; never in their actual wake. 

 Keep your horse well in hand all through, that he may not 

 sprawl. Be quick at turning. Avoid, so far as is possible, 

 deep heavy lands ; and if traversing plough, keep along 

 the headlands rather than pump your steed by galloping 

 over ridge and furrow, as others frequently do. When 

 obliged to get through gaps and gates put extra steam on 

 when coming up to them, in order to be first ; and if there 

 is a crowd, hold your horse hard, and touch him lightly 

 with your spur, that he may keep up his mettle and be 

 ready to bound into full speed the instant you get clear 

 of the ruck. If riding a young hot-blooded hunter, it will 

 as a rule be safer for you to put him at a very big jump 

 than to trust him in a crowded gangway. While riding 

 hard, never so much as glance at the remainder of the field. 

 Keep your eyes for your horse and for the leading hounds, 

 so as to keep exactly with them, and check the very 

 instant that they do. 



Never distress your mount by taking unnecessary jumps. 

 Don't be a bit ashamed to make use of a convenient gate 

 if you can get along with equal quickness that way ; it will 

 save your horse, and will enable you to hold your place 

 much longer in the run ; but, at the same time, never shirk 

 a practicable jump when you want to go straight. 



Q 2 



