52 THE HOESE AND HIS EIDER. 



5 



that he will have to suffer acute pain if he attempts to do 

 so. Accordingly, away from hounds and under no 

 excitement, he should be slowly ridden over two or 

 three low rails that will not break, with an unexpected 

 little twitch at his rein sufficient to make them severely 

 strike his hind legs. The moment this is effected the 

 rider should jump off, to allay anything like excitement, 

 and to allow the animal, who will probably stand lifting 

 up the injured leg, to feel, appreciate, and reflect on the 

 whole amount of the pain he has incurred. As soon as 

 it has subsided, he should be again quietly ridden two 

 or three times over the offending rails, which, it will 

 then be found, nothing can induce him to touch ; . and 

 having thus, at a small cost, purchased for himself very 

 valuable experience, he may afterwards in the hunting- 

 field be carefully made to jump any ordinary amount 

 of timber. 



A sportsman can hardly ride too slowly at high tim- 

 ber; for as height and width (that is to say to jump 

 upwards or forwards) require different efforts, it is a 

 waste of the poor animal's powers to make him do both 

 when one only is required. In slowly trotting up to 

 timber of any height or description, the rider should 

 carefully abstain from attempting, by the bridle, to give 

 his horse the smallest assistance. On the contrary, the 

 moment the animal begins to rise, his reins should be 



