288 MANAGEMENT OF HOUNDS. 



The hounds were not running, and he put his horse at a 

 stiff fence, to show off his horsemanship I concluded, as 

 there was no occasion to take the fence at alL Just 

 before taking off, the horse suddenly swerved, and our 

 military hero was on his back in a trice. Up and at it 

 again ; show off No. 2 — this put him in a passion ; he 

 got up again, crammed in the spurs, and went at it furi- 

 ously — a third time he lay on his back, grinning savagely; 

 but he had pluck, and put his horse again at the fence, 

 which he at last cleared. Had the hounds been running, 

 the probability is that his horse would not have refused 

 at all, and this should be a lesson to all never to be 

 larking their horses, when there is no occasion. The 

 duty of a good rider is to spare his horse, and when the 

 hounds are not running never to ride over a fence, unless 

 it is unavoidable. 



A friend of mine, who wanted a little cobbler's wax 

 sadly in his saddle, was riding fast at a fence, which he 

 had made up his mind to clear, and so he did, but with- 

 out his horse, and much to his amazement found himself 

 at the bottom of a pond, sticking in the mud ; luckily 

 his hat only was left there. There being no time to fish 

 it up, he was obliged to finish the run (his horse being 

 fortunately caught for him) with his handkerchief tied 

 round his head, and a pretty figure he presented at the 

 finish. It being cold work riding without a hat he bought 

 one of a countryman for three shillings, and thus being 

 re-established amid the jokes and laughter of his friends 

 trotted off home. Upon this occasion the horse had kept 

 his eyes, where his master's ought to have heen, forward, 

 and not relishing the idea of a cold bath, although his 

 master seemed evidently so intentioned — did the wisest 



