94 THE HORSE AND HIS RIDER. 



Of boots there are just two sorts : those that do protect 

 the mechanism of the knee, and those that don't protect 

 it. Of these, the latter are the most fashionable. How- 

 ever, leaving the rider to make his choice, it need only 

 be observed that if the soles are broad, the feet within 

 them will be warm; and, if narrow, cold; simply from 

 the circulation of the blood having, by pressure, become 

 impeded. 



Chilblains are often the result, though more usually 

 caused by the mistaken luxury, as it is called, of putting 

 the feet when chilled by hunting into warm instead of 

 into cold water, the temperature of which, if possible, 

 should be lowered in proportion to the coldness of the 

 feet: indeed, whenever flesh is frost-bitten, the well- 

 known practical remedy is snow; while on the other 

 hand an approach to fire instantly produces mortification. 



And now for a very few words respecting the upper, 

 or garret-story of the rider. 



In Leicestershire, many years ago, it was, and in Surrey 

 it still is, the fashion for " fast men " to ride in the hunting 

 caps worn by all huntsmen and whippers in. 



They were invented to protect the head, whereas they 

 have very properly been discarded in the shires because 

 they have proved to be its enemy, or rather the enemy 

 of the rider's neck, which is liable, on a very slight 

 fall, as was lately the case with poor Lord Waterford, 



