82 The Hunting Countries of England. 



absolute dogma on tlie point), as Assheton Smith ever 

 declared it, the safest fence possible. Even then it 

 requires the provisos of good shoulders and a horse 

 not blown. But in a country where strong split rails 

 have generally to be galloped at, the unlucky incident 

 of a fling on to firm turf must be the occasional 

 result — leading to a total change of opinion as to the 

 desirability of timber over any other kind of fence. 

 Let this be as it may, they like timber in Sussex ; 

 they are obliged to jump it and most other obstacles 

 at a slow pace — often at a walk or stand — and they 

 must have a horse that can do it. Speed is, to say 

 the least, a secondary consideration in a Sussex horse. 

 Stamina and jumping power he must have — or else he 

 must move over the border to the Downs. Only a 

 hedge and ditch, is the description of a good East 

 Sussex fence — but the word only must be as elastic as 

 in the case of "only a face at the window.'' The 

 ditch may have as wide a stretch as the qualifying 

 adverb, and the hedge grows trimly and stoutly out of 

 a rich soil — while the two together occur in deep 

 ground and can only be approached delicately. Thus 

 a horse must get as close to them as possible ; and if 

 he pauses when there, has a good look, and then 

 heaves himself as far as he can — he may be the horse 

 for East Sussex. He may, again, take a great many 

 jumps in other fashion ; but, if less flippant and airy, 

 this is the safest and least fatiguing method — and 

 answers best in the long run. 



The East Sussex Country stretches along the sea- 

 coast — eastward of the Southdown, which was origi- 

 nally included in the former Hunt — from about East- 



