236 The Hunting Countries of England, 



the great coverts on Marcle Hill — some six or seven 

 miles away on tlie South Herefordshire border. Little 

 else but grass is to be crossed between the two points ; 

 and a prettier gallop need not be wished for than 

 a Marcle Hill fox will furnish as he travels homewards 

 from Eastnor Park. Good hedge and ditch fences 

 leaven the plain, which here too is a strong clay. 

 The hedges are thick and well grown, but seldom 

 strongly " laid '^ as in the Shires ; and, though they 

 are rarely on banks, but as a rule come under the 

 denomination of ^^flyiug fences/' it is better that a 

 horse should take them steadily than at a rush. 

 Hazel is just as frequent as thorn ; and both grow 

 in such a manner as often to allow a hunter to mini- 

 mise his effort by dropping his legs in their midst. 

 Timber is freely used in mending the gaps; and stiles 

 are especially numerous. A stout clever horse, that 

 can jump well and is ready to jump under all circum- 

 stances, that can go through dirt and go up hill, is 

 the animal to ride with the Ledbury. What is termed 

 a " fashionable " long striding horse, is scarcely in his 

 place here. 



The ridge of the Marcle Hills is again the true 

 boundary between the Ledbury and the South Here- 

 ford ; and twixt this and the Kennels is about the 

 area of the good scenting and good riding ground 

 just described. Immediately south of the Kennels, 

 however, towards Kedmarley, you will find yourself 

 on a very different soil, light and sandy — a district 

 that has earned for itself the title of '' The Ryelands,'' 

 signifying land that is not good enough to grow wheat. 

 The fences here are very small ; and scent is seldom 



