DUTIES TO THE FIELD. 15 



past anyone who had dismounted, she had no idea of 

 it, and her groom was just as bad. In many countries 

 grooms are not allowed to follow their charges across 

 country, but this was a provincial hunt, vrhere the 

 fields were small, and the Master had taken no action 

 in the matter. Beginners should make a strong mental 

 note of this question of rushing past. When in the 

 open field he who can go the fastest has a perfect right 

 to be first. The boy or girl on a pony is at liberty to 

 pass all and sundry at such times, but when the end of 

 the field is reached the situation becomes quite different. 

 There may be a fence in front which can be jumped 

 any^vhere. If that be the case, choose your own place, 

 but look right and left, and see that you are giving 

 plenty of room to your neighbour on either side. If you 

 are following a leader, give him plenty of time to jump. 

 Get your pony well in hand, and do not let him go at the 

 fence until your pilot is well over and galloping on, at 

 least a dozen yards from the far side. If the fence is 

 a big one, and the field are follomng each other through 

 a gap, get there with what speed you may, but pull up 

 as you reach the crowd, and take your proper place, 

 in the order of your arrival. Do not on any account 

 attempt to shove past anyone who may have reached 

 the gap before you, and when your turn comes let 

 whoever is immediately in front get well through before 

 you go. If you have gone for a gate, observe the same 

 rules as to turns, and if you should happen to be last 

 at a gate which someone has opened, take great care 

 to shut it behind you. When going from covert to 

 covert, along a narrow lane, for instance, keep in your 

 place, when you can. There is at such times no 



