HOW TO TREAT A HUNTER IN THE FIELD. 79 



down a parade " in heavy marching order," it is justly 

 called "punishment drill." 



In like manner, if an unruly horse were to be sentenced 

 merely to stand in his stable for ten hours with a sack of 

 heavy oats, weighing (at forty-two pounds the bushel) 

 exactly twelve stone, the punishment or pain his muscles 

 would undergo in bearing such a weight for so long a 

 time would be so severe that by almost everybody it 

 would be termed "cruel." But if, instead of being 

 quiescent, the sack of oats could by mechanical contriv- 

 ances be continually lifted up, and then by a series of 

 heavy blows dropped down upon vertebrae which have 

 nothing but muscles to support them, the punishment 

 would be condemned as excruciating; and yet this 

 excruciating punishment is quite unnecessarily inflicted 

 upon hunters by a lot of good-humoured heavy men, 

 simply from neglecting to reflect that if they would, 

 only even for a minute or two, occasionally unload their 

 saddles, to walk a little, stand still a little, or, while the 

 hounds are drawing, sit placidly upon the stile or gate 

 that is often close beside them, they would not only 

 perform an act of mercy, but they would impart or 

 rather restore strength, tone, and activity to muscles 

 which, if vigorous, can carry them safely, but which, if 

 exhausted, must inevitably fail when tested by a severe 

 run. 



