8o Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



ones, is the most absurd notion that ever entered the public 

 mind. Yet people have heard so much of this that they 

 really expect to be cheated, and, if a horse goes wrong in 

 a month, will say they only looked for as much. It is 

 strange what notions some people have. They buy a house 

 that burns down, hire a coachman who developes rheuma- 

 tism, a footman who gets a sore throat, a servant-girl who 

 gets married, a butler who may die the week after he 

 comes into the house. All this, they say, is providence. 

 But if any of the thousand and one things that are likely to 

 overtake a dumb beast happen within six weeks or two 

 months after he comes into their possession, it is not provi- 

 dence, but the dealer. They are " stuck again." 



Tell the dealer just what you want of a horse, and how 

 much experience you have had in riding. Tell the truth, 

 the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Tell him, 

 even, he may send ten or fifteen dollars to your groom and 

 add the same to your bill. You may think your groom is 

 too honest to accept the fee, but see that he has his tip, or 

 your horse, however good, may never suit, and there will 

 be no end of fault-finding, until you give up in despair and 

 tell the groom to buy the next one himself — which is 

 what he wanted you to do. 



Neither should a man boast of his riding or driving to 

 his dealer. He may mislead him into selling him a horse- 

 man's horse when he ought to have an amateur's horse. 

 The buyer may find he cannot ride his new purchase : he 

 is a refuser, he pulls, is irritable, will not feed after his run 

 to hounds. Why ? Because his rider has no hands ; he 

 balances himself by holding hard on his mouth when he 

 jumps. The hunter gets to pulling: the rider gets his reins 



