I02 THE MASTER OF HOUNDS 



ment. I do not wish to be understood by this admis- 

 sion as advocating a perpetual quarrel ; but it is all the 

 better if the huntsman is not always poking his nose 

 into the stable, while the other man should no more 

 dream of going to the kennels than he would of walking 

 into his master's drawing-room. 



The huntsman's second horseman gets about ^^i a 

 week. The wages of the ordinary helper, which are 

 subject to considerable variation in different districts, 

 usually amount to three or four shillings less. Ours 

 got i6s. a week with lodging, which included a large 

 room fitted up as a dormitory. A woman was hired 

 by the day to look after this and to do their washing ; 

 and they had a capital mess-room below, where they 

 cooked for themselves. 



The more horses are kept, the more helpers will of 

 course be found necessary, but as there is little or 

 no harness work and no washing of traps, each man 

 can look after more horses than in an ordinary stable. 

 Moreover, once they have sent out the horses required 

 for the day, they have time to look after those that 

 stay behind. On the whole, and not counting the 

 head man, we found that a proportion of six men to 

 fourteen horses worked out satisfactorily. 



It is considered an honour in most districts to belong 

 to the Hunt establishment. There is no need for the 

 men to look smart or to know how to drive as long 

 as they can strap a horse well, behave themselves, and 

 do as they are bid. I have known men stay on for 

 years in the Hunt stables under succeeding generations 

 of Masters and stud grooms. 



