162 THE HUNTING-FIELD. 



wliicli is straight to any point before us at the 

 moment. I never ventured to take him fifty 

 yards out of his way to avoid blind or suspicious 

 fences, which I should have done on a better and 

 stouter horse ; you did not perceive it, but I com- 

 paratively watched every yard of ground he went, 

 and nursed him over any part at all heavy or 

 distressing. The moment 1 found any symptoms 

 of failing, I took a pull at him, and thus saved 

 him before matters got worse; and, twenty times 

 during the run, had I persevered with him at the 

 pace, I should have sewed him up in a few strides. 

 I care not how good a horse may be, but there 

 are particular periods when half a moderate field 

 at the same pace, or if the ground gets deep, will 

 stop the best horse that ever looked through a 

 bridle, if we do not attend to him ; but with all 

 this, grey could not have got half a dozen fields 

 further ; he was not blown, as yours was, but he 

 was beat. I nursed him up the headland before 

 coming to the last flight of rails, so as to keep a 

 pinch of jumping powder for them; and it was 

 but a pinch, it was touch and go ; that is, a very 

 heavy touch and but just '' a go :^ we will now see 

 what you did. I must say you went quite like a 

 workman as to nerve, but I could see two things : 

 you were, if I may use a new term, ^ tossed^ in 

 your saddle more than could have been pleasant ; 

 this arose chiefly from riding a couple of holes too 



