Ride with youR Head as well as your Heart. 443 



No doubt that is the spirit witli which the young fox-hunter should go into the field ; 

 but it would be about as sensible to back a one-legged man against a champion pedestrian 

 as to try to ride the line of a straight-necked fox over an ox-feeding country on a literally 

 half-bred or half-conditioned or half-broken horse, or to cut your own work out with wild 

 stag-hounds in the Exmoor country. 



But because the horseman and the horse, or one of them, is not fit to contend in the first 

 flight over the Midlands, that is no reason why the novice should condemn himself to mere 

 road-riding. One thing he must do : he must gallop, and gallop best pace, up and down 

 hill, over rough ground, without the slightest hesitation; keep his horse sufficiently in hand 

 not to allow him to sprawl ; be quick at turning ; avoid as much as possible deep, sticky 

 ground, going round along headlands rather than pump him out across the middle of a 

 ploughed field ; never hesitate at a practicable leap ; and have eyes and ears alert to keep 

 on terms with the hounds. It is by following these hints that so many heavy men, especially 

 hunter-making farmers, turn up the moment the hounds throw up their heads, and are 

 seldom far out when the fox is killed. The theory of these well-mounted fine horsemen, to 

 ride the straight "string" instead of "round the bow," is not always practicable. To ride 

 round on sound ground is not such a fine thing as being with the hounds "every yard," but 

 much better than being out-ridden, out-jumped, left hopelessly in the rear, either in a ditch 

 or on a gate, waiting for some yokel to bring back an escaped steed. 



In a country of small fields and cramped fences which must be all negotiated at a very 

 slow trot or a stand, and where a real splitting gallop is impossible, there is none of the 

 feverish hurry of a good scenting day in the grass countries. 



To get through crushes at gates and gaps where no jump is practicable, it is well to be 

 as quick as possible — put on extra steam to get first. If in a crowd, the Warwickshire maxim 

 is to " hold him and spur him," so as to be ready to bound into full speed the moment you 

 get through the mob. If your horse is really clever in landing, it is always better to take 

 a very big jump than trust a young hunter in a crowded gateway. 



The hunter on which a young horseman should take his first experience in the field 

 should be perfect in two ways of crossing fences : he should temperately and sensibly creep 

 through gaps, step over moderate ditches, climb and descend banks, and also have the courage 

 to dash over and clear a big fence when called upon, or trot up to and leap high timber. 



If a horse will jump timber, and creep over and through hedge and ditch, he is perfect 

 for most countries. A safe timber-jumper — that is to say, one that can be depended on after 

 a good deal of galloping to clear and land safely over a full-sized gate or stile, is a treasure, 

 because timber — rail, gate, or stile — is often the one way out of a field, a road, or across a 

 railway. Of all accidents those over timber are the worst. 



Any — one might almost say every — well-shaped, well-bred, hunter can be made to jump 

 timber, if put in the hands of a competent trainer. Dick Christian said he only met with 

 two horses in his long experience that he could not make jump, and they were both weak in 

 the back. But there are scores of horses hunting that, from being badly trained, are not to 

 be trusted at anything stronger than a sheep-hurdle. 



The most annoying and dangerous tricks are swerving, refusing, and not rising suffi- 

 ciently at or rushing through fences, 



" If a rider has not knowledge or physical strength enough to collect and pull his horse 

 on to his hind legs, so as to shorten his stride, before reaching his fence the animal is likely 

 to refuse, because he feels he cannot leap the fence, or must take off too soon or too late." 



