THE HUNTING SEAT. 243 



cularly, start in the morning, the better, that they 

 may get their day's journey over in good time, and 

 be early shut up for the night. 



In riding a journey, be not so attentive to your 

 horse's nice carriage of himself, as to your encou- 

 ragement of him, and keeping him in good hu- 

 mour. Raise his head ; but if he flags, you may 

 indulge him with bearing a little more upon the 

 bit than you would suffer in an airing. If a horse 

 is lame, tender-footed, or tired, he naturally hangs 

 on his bridle. On a journey, therefore, his mouth 

 will depend greatly on the goodness of his feet. Be 

 very careful, then, about his feet, and not let a far- 

 rier spoil them. To this it may be added, that, as 

 horses often fall on the road, from the state of their 

 shoes being neglected ; in journeys, and on hot and 

 dusty roads especially, the feet as well as the shoes 

 demand care. They should be stopped every night 

 with moist clay, or, what is better, wetted tow, 

 which, whilst it cools and moistens the foot, acts 

 beneficially, by causing pressure to the sensible sole 

 and the frog. 



The Hunting Seat. — Next to that of a jockey, 

 on whose skill in the saddle thousands of pounds 

 may be depending, the seat of the fox-hunter is 

 most essential of any connected with amusement. 

 He must not only be firm in his saddle, to secure 

 himself against falls when his horse is in the act of 

 leaping, but he must unite with a firm and steady 

 seat a light and delicate hand, to enable him to 

 make the most of his horse, as well as to preserve 



