158 ANIMALS USED BY THE SHOOTER. 



them to rise out of shot. Few active men try the experi- 

 ment, but I fancy if they did, they would find that they 

 could kill more birds with than without a pony. With his 

 aid, you may get up to- the birds much more quickly; and I 

 do not think that the noise made by the canter of the pony 

 occasions any disturbance to them. No doubt the increased 

 height is a disadvantage, but to balance this is the increased 

 speed in getting to your dog's point. How often do we see 

 the pointer stand at 150 or 200 yards off, and what a time 

 it takes to get up to him, especially if against the steep side 

 of a hill ; on the other hand, many parts of the moors are 

 not rideable. In making the comparison, it is generally the 

 case that the shooter on foot is an active young man, and the 

 pony-man an old and infirm one, who takes five minutes to 



et off, and perhaps rides up as slowly as the other walks, 

 till, I should never advise any good walker to adopt the use 

 of the pony, but at the same time, on most moors, I fully 

 believe an active, wary man may, if he likes, use one with 

 advantage, and especially when birds are running much. The 

 pony only requires to be broken to stand the gun, to leap in 

 hand, or follow over a fence, and to be handy, and used to 

 stand without holding. All this is so easily taught, that it is 

 unnecessary to allude to it here. 



CHAPTER V. 

 GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF SHOOTING DOGS. 



KENNELS AND KENNEL MANAGEMENT FEEDING DRESSINGS AND PHYSIC 

 PREPARATION FOR WORK MANAGEMENT AFTER WORK. 



KENNELS AND KENNEL MANAGEMENT. 



THE KENNELS intended for pointers and setters should be 

 dry and well protected from the weather, but they should be 

 kept cool, on account of the exposure to wet and cold which 

 shooting dogs must incur. This is especially needful with 

 spaniels, who are often wet for hours together in the coldest 



