RIDING TO HOUNDS 29 



was a stile out of orass and, luckily for me. into 

 soft plouo-h. I let the horse go at it freely with 

 only a light touch on his mouth. He took off 

 too soon, lighted on the top rail, and an imperial 

 crowner into the field was the result, and the 

 instant destruction of one of Mr. Barnard's best 

 hunting hats. The hat gave a loud crack. 

 " Dang it. Mr. Tom, 1 thought as it was your 

 neck ! " said an old farmer, when I picked up the 

 pieces. That horse, having been accustomed 

 to have his head held tight, would have it so, 

 and I found that taken short by the head and 

 driven at his fences there was no safer jumper 

 in the stable. Some horses jump better if 

 allowed to go pretty fast, and the owner of 

 cheap horses will find that he will get them of 

 all sorts. One mare I owned had a reckless 

 way of hurling herself over the fences which 

 nothing would break her of ; but she knew best 

 what she could do and how she could do it. and 

 though a terrifying mount was apparendy a safe 

 one, for she never put .either of her owners 

 down. But even in her case I used to try and 

 steady her, sitting back and holding her hard 

 till within three lengths of the fence, when I 

 was fain to let her go her own way. which was 

 about forty miles an hour. 



There is another matter which should be 

 noticed here, and this is that even from the 



