ENGLISH VS. IRISH RIJHNG. 



35 



CHAPTER II. 

 ENGLISH VS. IRISH RIDING. 



At one time, and it may be so still, the English rode 

 with a slack, while the Irish rode with a tight rein. The 

 former generally used the Pelham bit, while the latter 

 almost invariably used the snaflSe. If these men changed 

 horses as they stood, bridles and all, they would run the 

 risk of breaking their respective necks, for although each 

 horse wore his own bit, the manner of holding the rein 



'^^^^■^^ 





(a.)— ENGLISH, 



Fig. 8. (&.)— iKiSH. 



being new to each, the results, as we see in hunting i^lates, 

 might vary — the horse in or on one side of the fence and 

 the rider on the other. Our invariable rule is, never to 

 face our horse, young or old, to a fence of any kind that 

 we know he is able to take, without making him go over 

 or through it at the risk of his neck or our own. Any 

 other course is fraught with danger on very trifling oc- 

 casions. Our rule is the best to make a safe and fearless 

 hunter and steeple-chaser. 



CONDITION or THE RIDER. 



There is no time when the man and horse are safer than 

 when the rider has had his dram — just one ^Miorn " to 

 give force to his intentions. The old hunter knows it, 

 from the dash and wild recklessness of his rider's manner 



