2 HUNTING THE FOX 



which it has Hved through all the obstacles of war 

 time is a sufficient testimony to its vitality. And 

 here let us pay our tribute to those who have 

 helped the sport through these critical times : to 

 the tact and sagacity of the Committee of the 

 M.F.H. Association, and above all to those who 

 through age, sex, or any other reason, were pre- 

 vented from serving in the Army, and who took 

 the Hounds out day after day under very trying 

 conditions. To ride a horse half-fit and to ride 

 that horse all day ; to hunt Hounds that are 

 poorly fed ; to know that even if they were in good 

 enough condition to tire their Fox he would almost 

 surely find an open earth ; to be short-handed 

 both in the hunting-field and in the kennel ; to 

 have a diminishing number of walks for puppies ; — 

 all these things have not made the management of 

 hunting during the War a very pleasing occupation. 

 From the point of view of the Master and his Staff 

 the only compensation that can be imagined, 

 beyond the gratification of duty done, is that the 

 Hounds have not been ridden over by a large and 

 impetuous Field. Even this advantage has its 

 objectionable side : the Huntsman wants at least 

 enough people out to catch his horse if he has a 

 fall and turns him loose. 



However, we seem to have put the worst behind 

 us, unless indeed we have another war. We may 

 breathe again now that we have been able to breed 



I 



