The Wheatland. 327 



borne in mind; and effectually to aid this, a know- 

 ledge of the country is absolutely necessary. These 

 deep and difficult dingles are, indeed, the great 

 feature of a country that without them would be 

 amenable enough to a good horse and horseman. 

 They exist everywhere ; and in the far south assume 

 -overgrown and complicated proportions, such as to 

 render the Wyre Forest an almost unhuntable region. 

 The only exceptions are in the case of Corve Dale and 

 Ape Dale — the former a pretty but narrow vale that 

 ■develops considerably as it runs down into Ludlow 

 territory; the latter a deep wet valley on the north- 

 west, beneath Wenlock Edge, and on the borders of 

 The Shropshire. 



The southern half of the country is much the 

 rougher, more broken and wooded. The upper has 

 a great deal more open and better riding ground. 

 The fences, which, like the soil, are as a rule lighter on 

 the hills than in the valleys, are generally thick, un- 

 trimmed hedges on banks — guarded, very often, with 

 a strong double ditch. A horse accustomed to the 

 •country — knowing when to jump and when to creep — 

 is the only pleasurable mount. A rash, unhandy 

 steed would be no luxury, either at his fences in the 

 open, or in making his way through wood and dingle. 

 For climbing the hills and for carrying a man with 

 credit and comfort here, a strong-backed well-bred 

 horse of from fifteen hands to fifteen two is by far 

 the best conveyance. The hedges, it should be 

 mentioned, are built as much of hazel as of thorn, 

 and are seldom laid-and-bound, though careful farming 

 does not fail to insist on the gaps being stoutly made 



