A Foxs Brush. 5 



readers wish to test the correctness of this opinion of mine, 

 they should put one of these rein-grippers on a clever jumper 

 in a riding-school, so that the animal may not run out ; erect 

 a fence say, four feet and a half high ; take off the bridle ; 

 drive the horse over the obstacle ; and then they will see who 

 is right. I may mention, in order to harden the heart of any 

 waverer, that my wife, and ladies she has taught to ride, 

 have clone this feat scores of times without making the 

 slightest movement in the saddle. The serious part of the 

 evil of hanging on by the reins when a horse is jumping, is 

 not that it is apt to make him blunder by interfering with him ; 

 but that, by punishing his mouth, it is liable to convert him 

 into a confirmed refuser, or into a dangerous rusher. 



Another point of good riding which was early impressed 

 upon me by experienced cross-country men, was that, when 

 going over a fence, one should draw back the feet, so as to 

 avoid the shock which, if the knees were kept straight, would 

 be transmitted, on landing, from the stirrup irons to the pelvis, 

 through the legs, and which, being in a direction behind the 

 centre of gravity, would tend to make it rotate forwards. 



My mother was a Scotch-woman of broad-minded charity, 

 and of refined and educated tastes, which did not include 

 horses and hunting. She loved flowers, animals, and scenery, 

 and was delighted to have the opportunity of showing those 

 friends of ours who came to stay with us, from time to time, 

 the beauties of stream and woodland by the banks of the 

 Bride and Lee. On one occasion she took a couple of 

 English ladies, who were on a visit with us, close to the 

 kennels, in order to obtain a particularly pretty view of the 

 country. On hearing one of the ladies exclaim, ' How beauti- 

 ful ! ' the old huntsman, who happened to be standing by, 

 replied, pointing to a fox's brush which was nailed to the 

 door, and which he supposed was the object of admiration, 

 ' True for you, ma'am, it is a beautiful one ; but if you will 

 come round to the stables, I will show you one twice as 

 handsome.' And thus men and women go through the world, 



