214 HUNTING. 



spur catching in the stirrup, and says that he ' cannot remember 

 a single instance of a man's foot remaining fixed in the iron 

 who was riding without spurs.' As a matter of fact we do hap- 

 pen to remember such an instance — an instance in which we 

 ourselves unfortunately played a particular part ! Yet this never 

 suggested to us the propriety of riding without stirrups. On 

 the whole, this problematical danger is, we submit, more than 

 balanced by the manifest advantages to be got from what its 

 opponent allows at any rate to give a finished look to a well- 

 made top-boot. But let the tyro be careful to bear this in mind : 

 that the spur is to be applied only hehi7id the girth. ' Do you 

 take me for a fool ? ' the tyro answers. Certainly not, my dear 

 sir ; but if, after a hard day, you will, after dismounting from 

 your gallant steed, be careful to examine him, you may possibly 

 be surprised to find that the particular spot, a hand's breadth 

 behind the girth, is one of the very few places that have remained 

 virgin to your steel. 



Finally, let the young rider bear always in mind that he owes 

 everything to his horse, and do what he can to return the debt. 

 After the day's work is over do not let him get cold and stiff. 

 Move off as soon as you decently can, and keep him gently 

 going till you get him home. If you have far to go, and the 

 day has been a long and hard one, get him a few mouthfuls of 

 good gruel if you can : you have probably had some mouth- 

 fuls of something more inspiring than gruel, and he has appetites 

 as well as you. But be careful of the place you put him in. 

 See that there are no draughts ; throw a rug over his loins while 

 he is at his food, and until you too stand in imperative need of 

 some refreshment wait upon him at his. It is not much to do 

 for him in return for all he has done for you. Ten minutes at 

 the outside is quite long enough for the halt, unless the poor 

 beast be in a very bad way indeed, and then, if the quarters are 

 tolerably decent, it were better for him to stay there for the 

 night, but yoit /mist stay with him. As a general rule, however, 

 it is best for your horse as well as for yourself, to get home as 

 soon as you can. By keeping up a steady even jog of some six 



