142 THE BARB AND THE BRIDLE. 



One person should hold this steady while another rolls the collar end 

 very tightly up towards the pocket ; it will then fit into it so closely 

 as to make a very small and compact roll of the whole coat. 



I must not omit to say that, in addition to the first-rate hunting 

 to be had in the Midlands, there is some good sport with hounds 

 obtainable nearer the metropolis, namely, in the Vale of Aylesbury, 

 witli that noble patron of sport, Baron Rothschild. But still I 

 must award the palm to Leicestershire, Warwickshire, and North- 

 amptonshire as far away superior to anythmg in the hunting way 

 to be seen in any other part of England. In whatever part, how- 

 ever, the fair lover of hunting seeks her sport, she should bear in 

 mind that when she is once away with hounds she cannot be too 

 particular as to riding her horse with the utmost care and precision, 

 and to avoid taking liberties with him by jumping big places for the 

 sake of display. It cannot be too strenuously impressed upon her 

 mentor that, as long as the true line to the hounds can be main- 

 tained, the less jumping that is done, the longer the horse will last ; 

 that one big jump takes as much out of him as galloping over three 

 big fields ; and that he should be ridden every inch of the way, because 

 when hounds get off with a good scent it is impossible to say that 

 they may not keep on running for a couple of hours, in which case, 

 if too much is done with him at first, he wiU inevitably, to use a 

 racing phrase, " shut up." 



The light weight of most hunting ladies is a point in favour of the 

 horse ; but it is more than counterbalanced by the absence of sup- 

 port which a man who rides well can give with the right leg. It is 

 the absence of this support in the case of a lady's horse, however 

 well ridden, that causes him to tire sooner than he would if ridden 

 by a gentleman ; and hence the necessity in selecting a horse to carry 

 a woman with hounds for having not only staying power, but two 

 or three stone in hand. Nevertheless, although unable to give to 

 the animal as much help as can be afforded by a gentleman, ladies 

 can do much by the exercise of that tact and judgment which is their 

 peculiar gift. 



Every lady who hunts is sure to be more or less an enthusiast 

 iibout horses, and is always, according to my experience, ready to 



