RIDING TO HOUNDS 25 



unintentionally at times, and their effect 

 upon a horse, unlike that of a whip, is to 

 make him flinch and contract his muscles. 

 To spur a horse when approaching a fence 

 is to do all you can to sour him, and I 

 have seen several good horses so ruined for 

 life in a single ride. The dread of being 

 pricked as they approach their jump 

 makes them nervous and they soon take 

 an inveterate dislike to fences, which they 

 associate with their own hurt. 



In case of a fall the danger of being 

 dragged is much greater with spurs on 

 than without. So famous a rider as Mel- 

 ville says in his "Reminiscences" that he 

 could not recall a single instance where 

 a boot without spurs had failed to come 

 clear of the stirrup, and adds "I firmly 

 believe that nine out of every ten men who 

 come out hunting would be better and 

 more safely carried if they left their spurs 

 at home." 



Sore backs spoil the usefulness of many 

 good hunters. There is no sure preventive 

 against galling, but many sore backs are 



