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not become a habit. During that time let Impress 

 two things on hi . First, let him give his pilot 

 ample room and see him well into the next field before 

 he rides at a fence, for horses often fall a length 

 or two after landing. That obligation must never be 

 forgotten; it is a crime to j\.imp on a man who is taking 

 you by "the shortest and most direct route'' to houn' . 

 Secondly, let him try and watch the leading hounds for 

 himself, anc alw ys be on the look-out for a chance to 

 turn inside his pilot and then to ride his own line for 

 a while. If he has been folic." real artist, he 



11 be struck by the fact that the best and easiest 

 places in the fences always seem to come opposite to 

 him, .'areas when he turns off on his own line, that 

 is far from being the case. But the artist has spotted 

 the best place to jump out of each field as he jumps 

 into it, and gradually diverges to his selected place, 

 so that it seems, as it were, to come opposite to him 

 of its own accord. 



There we come on a great secret - how far to go out 

 of your line to get an easy place. On that point, I 

 think, not even the greatest of our riders to hounds 

 could lay down any rule. Some fences solve the difficulty 

 by having only one possible place, so you .■■ ': go there. 

 But on this point I can only say that when fences are 

 reasonable and hounds are running fast, it is a mistake 

 to go any considerable distance out of your way for an 

 easy place. How far to diverge must depend on the fence, 

 the going, your horse, and the pace the hounds are running, 

 and can only be learnt by practical experience. en 

 once you have picked your place, stick to it; to change 

 upsets your horse, and to those riding near him a man 

 who changes about is a danger and a nuisance. 



I have often been struck by the almost touching 

 faith of the "ruck" in their leader's judgment. In 

 any hunt you will find little groups waiting, with more 

 or less impatience, their turn at one particular spot 

 on a fence, while close by are other places just as easy 



