PUECHASING HOESES. 153 



hounds that would require such exertion to compass. 

 It is true we occasionally (but very rarely) meet 

 with a fence that from the first impediment to the 

 last may be (we will say) twenty feet ; but then such 

 fences are mostly to be done by a double jump. 

 The horse that would attempt to do such a fence at 

 one would possibly break his back, or his neck ; even 

 if extraordinary power enabled him to do it while 

 perfectly fresh, he would not do it after a moderate 

 burst. This makes such horses dangerous. They 

 are safe enough while their extraordinary powers 

 last ; but, unless they are properly taught at first, or 

 learn by a multitude of falls in the course of a season, 

 they know of no resource when those powers fail." 



Tyro listened attentively to what had been said, 

 but then remarked pertinently enough : " But horses 

 never would learn the resource you speak of, in 

 their progress towards becoming hunters, as they 

 would never feel their powers fail from exhaustion." 



" Your observation is quite correct ; but I will, I 

 think, answer it by a simile. If we show a man how 

 to make his exit from a house by the door- way in 



