LEARNING TO RIDE. 21 



drawn. The sailor's turn came soon, but the sedate one 

 was a flippant jumper, and she put her loosely -sitting 

 rider well over her head. He was quickly in the saddle 

 again, and hounds found and went away. The middy 

 did as he saw others do, but, having no knowledge 

 of how to sit and grip, he was put of! every time he 

 jumped. 



After some half-dozen falls (all voluntaries), he made 

 A dash at the saddle to get on again ; but the girths 

 had never been tightened, and he pulled the saddle 

 right round, and was last seen chevying his mount 

 across a field, her saddle being underneath her instead 

 of on her back. Luckily, the sailor was no worse for 

 his adventure, and because he was a sailor his per- 

 formance only gave rise to good-humoured mirth ; 

 but had he been the ordinary novice his debut in such 

 inglorious fashion might have been seriously against 

 him. 



The moral, however, of the sailor's story is that no 

 one should go out hunting until they have learnt to ride. 

 This, one would think, most beginners would consider 

 to be essential, but the fact remains that many people 

 take to hunting, or rather attempt to hunt, before they 

 have mastered even the rudiments of horsemanship, 

 and when this happens the novice is not only at once 

 betrayed, but very likely starts his hunting career 

 with several black marks against him. 



It need hardly be mentioned here that a love of sport 

 is inherent in many people, and those who have the 

 desire to hunt will almost invariably attempt it as soon 

 as their circumstances will permit. A man may long 

 to hunt throughout his boyhood, but not be able to 



