COURAGE AND COOLNESS. 255 



you decide upon the smaller place, let him go gently 

 at it, as he will be less likely to give you a fall ; at 

 all events, he may not give you so bad a one as if 

 you went fast up to it. Some horses get out of 

 scrapes better than others ; but it is as well not to 

 give them an opportunity of showing their prowess 

 in such matters. 



A chief requisite to a good rider across a country 

 is, courage, one of the most common qualities of 

 human nature ; and another is, coolness. No man, 

 when flurried, can do any one thing well ; but when 

 we consider the variety of objects that the sports- 

 man, following hounds, has to attract his notice, 

 and the many obstacles he may have to encounter, 

 it is evident that, according to the old adage, " he 

 must have all his wits about him.'" The perfection 

 of fine horsemanship in the hunting-field, then, is 

 in a man riding well up to hounds, when going 

 their best pace, over a stift" country, and yet appear- 

 ing to be quite at his ease, and his horse, as it 

 were, sympathising with him in his calmness. Such 

 a man (and there are some such in every hunt, but 

 not many) is capable of taking every advantage 

 that can be taken of country, hounds, and all ob- 

 stacles which appear to oppose him in his career. 

 Another signal advantage to the sportsman also 

 arises from his coolness in these moments of no 

 small mental, as well as bodily, excitement and 

 exertion. He is able to observe the beautiful work- 

 ing of the hounds, which is displayed to advantage 

 with a burning scent ; and he enjoys it the more, 



