368 WITH HOUNDS. 



in a few lessons. I have certainly found that going out of 

 the way to avoid crossing ridge-and-furrow more or less at 

 right angles, entails too much loss of ground to be usually 

 adopted. An unaccustomed horse may often be saved from 

 a shaking by changing the canter or gallop into a trot. 

 Following the head-land is generally advisable, when the 

 centre of the field is heavy ; and always, when it is under 

 cultivation. 



During the intervals between spells of active movement, a 

 rider, especially if he is a heavy weight, will greatly economise 

 the staying powers of his mount, by getting off him, as often 

 as he can do, without incurring the risk of being left behind. 

 He will also be greatly aided in the same object, by letting 

 the horse drink a few go-downs of water at any convenient 

 stream or other suitable watering place, when the animal is 

 thirsty, and especially when he is hot. I have fully dis- 

 cussed in Stable Management and Exercise, the rationale of 

 this procedure, which is opposed to English practice. 



As a gate in the Shires will generally slam-to, if it is 

 held open and then let go ; we should, when passing through 

 one, and especially when the hounds are running, be most 

 careful not to let go the gate, if some one else, at a reasonable 

 distance off, is coming up. Neglect of this act of civility is 

 regarded as a gross breach of hunting etiquette. If there is 

 a third party coming up, the new comer will have to hold the 

 gate for him, and so on. If a man opens a gate by himself or 

 is the last person to go through it, he should be careful to 

 perform the important duty of shutting it ; because omission 

 to do so is liable to entail the disastrous result of letting stock 

 loose over the country, and consequently of exciting farmers 

 to oppose hunting. Pulling up during a run and getting off 

 to help a person who has had a bad fall, or catching a loose 

 horse for a "field officer," are acts of generosity which are 

 beyond the limits of conventional politeness. 



