74 The Hunting Countries of England. 



man than a practice gallop over a training course^ and 

 that the fences may be taken as they come, like 

 hurdles. Many men have we seen come down imbued 

 with this idea (perhaps we once held it ourselves), and 

 one and all were quickly in grief in consequence — 

 with the result that they either benefited by the 

 experience to do themselves and their horses justice, 

 or retired hurt and mortified. No, Leicestershire is 

 the last county over which to ride haphazard ; and a 

 Leicestershire horse should possess no common 

 combination of qualities. He must be able to gallop, 

 and he must be ready to jump ; but he must be handy 

 to turn, and easy 'to stop — willing to creep a bottom, 

 to drop his hind legs at a double, to brush a bullfinch, 

 or to fly an oxer. It may be argued that a four-year- 

 old has often been known to carry a man successfully 

 to hounds over the grass. True, but the credit 

 belongs rather to the man than the horse. The colt 

 has blood and courage; the man has coolness and 

 cleverness sufiicient to help him through his difiiculties; 

 and the line has probably been all plain sailing. 

 Depend upon it, four-year-olds (and a four-year-old 

 of high class is far better in the Shires than an older 

 torse of inferior stamp) will not carry the best men to 

 the front every day and all day; and to live with 

 hounds regularly, you must ride horses of superior 

 stamp, of thorough training, and, if possible, over 

 your weight. 



Six Hills is a kind of Croydon Junction to the best 

 coverts of the Monday country; and, consequently^ 

 seldom remains unadvertised two weeks in succession. 

 It is little more than half a dozen miles from Melton, 



