THE GROOM 147 



a horse should go from home on the morning of 

 hunting, and when distances are beyond that, with 

 the probabiHty of the draw being still further away, 

 it is always desirable to let them lie out over night. 

 No doubt a horse does better in his own stable, just 

 as a man does better in his own bed ; but fourteen 

 miles is quite distance enough; and even though some 

 horses may do more with impunity, still it takes a 

 good deal away from the pleasure of the day for a 

 man to think that he has not power enough under 

 him to do what may be required. Imagination has 

 a great deal to do in the enjoyment of the chase, 

 as well as in other things. In going from home a 

 servant should take everything he usually requires, 

 and never calculate on finding anything at an inn. 

 Having got everything there, his next care should 

 be getting them back, for people are very apt to 

 " borrow." 



In naming fourteen miles as the outside distance, 

 we are talking of meets which are towards home. 

 Gentlemen, whose horses stand at head quarters, 

 have a great advantage over out-lying sportsmen, in- 

 asmuch as they may readily calculate on their horses 

 being able to do as much as the horses of the hunt ; 

 but supposing the fixture to be at the kennel, and a 

 man travels fourteen miles to get to it, he need not 

 be surprised at finding himself trotted half as far again 

 on the other side before the day is done. 



Lying out over night entails the necessity of being 

 able to pack, a thing very few servants are up to. So 

 long as they unpack, also, so that " master " does not 

 see the state of confusion things are in, they are 

 very easy how they are spoiled by being crammed 

 and squeezed together. Soldiers' servants are always 

 capital hands at packing. We often wish to get one 

 of them to give a clumsy packer a lesson in the art. 

 There is another thing soldiers' Grooms excel in, and 

 that is in the saving of bedding. Instead of covering 



