USE AND ABUSE OF SPURS. 73 



be cunning enougli never to jump farther than is neces- 

 sary, approaches a fence on the other side of which a 

 horse and rider have been just observed to disappear in 

 a brook that has received them. Now, if throughout the 

 run the rider has never once touched his faithful horse 

 with spurs, and if on reaching this fence both rowels 

 suddenly are made to prick him, in an instant he under- 

 stands the friendly hint, and accordingly, by exerting 

 much greater powers than he had intended, he saves 

 himself and his benefactor from a bad fall. In a few 

 cases of this nature the use of spurs to a sportsman is 

 not only excusable, but invaluable. On no account, 

 however, should they be used to propel a hunter to 

 the end of a run, but, on the contrary, whenever the 

 noble animal tells his rider honestly that he is dis- 

 tressed, he should gratefully be patted on the neck, 

 pulled up, and walked carefully to the nearest habitation, 

 where he can rest and obtain a few gulps of warm gruel. 

 Humanity will not disapprove of this course ; but we also 

 recommend young sportsmen to adopt it, to maintain 

 their pleasures and to save their own purses. To ride 

 a distressed horse at a strong fence, is very likely to 

 break a collar-bone, that will require a surgeon and half 

 the hunting season to mend. To ride him to death, 

 entails extortion from the breeches-pocket of a sum of 

 mon^y — usually of three figures — to replace him. 



