10 THE HUNTER. 



the hunter, and two months ought to bring him into good condition. A young 

 horso may have, once a week, a tolerably sharp rally for one or two miles, a 

 method which should never be practised with a seasoned hunter, to which, indeed, 

 walking exercise may be often substituted for the gallop. 



The Steeple-Hunt is well known to be a match or sweepstakes across the country, 

 over hedge, ditch, and gate, between two or more Sportsmen upon their hunters. 

 This very ha/ardous adventure, not \ery common in modern times, has been once 

 repeated, since the instance related in the Britisli Field Sports, on which the follow- 

 ing remarks were made. Some hold these heroes in hig'h estimation, and aver that, 

 their example is a great excitement to courage and gallantry, and the contempt of 

 ' whatever may befal ;' others insist that, foolhardiness never shews a salutary ex- 

 ample ; that, nmi^lit is never in danger, and that it is of the smallest possible con- 

 sequence to the world, whether a man of this kidney break his neck, or return with 

 it whole. Leaving the decision of this knotty point to casuists, clerical and lay, I 

 simply state the facts. \Ve have had occasional, but few revivals of this old prac- 

 tice, the chief misery of which is, the risk of crippling and condemning to a painful 

 existence, the noblest ami best animals in the country. 



