IN THE FIELD. 327 



he will carry you over whatever you put him at, 'ave 

 a good understanding with yourself before you ever 

 come to a leap, whether you intend to go over it or not, 

 for nothing looks so pusillanimous as to see a chap ride 

 bang at a fence as though he would eat it, and then 

 swerve off for a gate or a gap." If there is a crowd at 

 the only practicable place in a fence, a lady must wait 

 her turn, and should her horse refuse, she must at once 

 give place to any rider who may be behind her, and 

 wait until her turn comes again before having a second 

 attempt to clear the obstacle. As precious time is lost 

 by refusing horses, it is generally wiser if possible to 

 find some other means of exit than to argue with a 

 refuser. Remember that there is alw^ays a gate which 

 can be opened, near a haystack, as the farmer places 

 his hay where he can easily get at it (Fig. 132). A 

 lady should save her horse as much as possible, jump 

 only when she is obliged, for hunting is not steeple- 

 chasing, and try to keep within sight of hounds. She 

 should remember to shut any gate she may use, and to 

 carefully avoid riding over winter beans, wheat, clover, 

 roots, turnips, or any crops, or ground newly sown with 

 seed. 



A lady should take a pull at her horse when going 

 over ploughed land or down-hill in order to keep him 

 well collected, and should always ride slowly over 

 ground that is deep and holding, if she values her 

 hunter's soundness. 



Ladies who know every fence and covert in a 

 country have a great advantage over strangers, because 



