THE HUNTER AND HIS EDUCATION 



leave you a possible job for surgeon or coroner, 

 according to your luck. 



If you find that your pupil persistently "hangs 

 his knees " — that is, folds his forelegs from the 

 knee, but not from the shoulder and elbow — 

 get rid of him forthwith. He can rarely be 

 cured of the fault ; he will never be safe with it ; 

 and if he does tuck those dangling limbs cosily 

 under a stiff toprail he will give you a smashing 

 fall that will — well, it will break your watch- 

 crystal, anyway. A rogue, or a headstrong horse 

 — as some excellent hunters originally were — 

 is often well worth expending patience upon. 

 Their failings are but the result of misdirected 

 energy, caused by a bold and independent spirit, 

 that will be invaluable once their confidence is 

 gained. To this end patience and perseverance 

 are the only means — never punishment. Ask 

 them to do all sorts of unexpected (but perfectly 

 possible) things ; being sure that you have plenti- 

 ful leisure at your disposal, and never provoking 

 an argument you are not prepared to carry 

 through. Turn him out of the road and through 

 that little gap and back again, or over that ditch ; 

 ride up that woodland road, and out of it among 

 the trees ; when about to enter the stable, turn 



171 



