2 GENERAL VIEW OF RIDING. 



blood. No just comparison can be made between the 

 difficulty of taking the fences in these shows and those of 

 a " natural " country ; for the '' made " fences can be 

 studied before starting, are constructed on favourable 

 ground, and are negotiated at a time when the horse's 

 powers are unimpaired by severe exertion. In flat race 

 riding, which demands in the highest degree knowledge of 

 pace and clever generalship, there is but little variety in 

 the conditions of ground. Even in steeplechase riding, the 

 fences are more or less of the " sealed pattern " order, and, 

 like on the flat, the distance and ground are known before- 

 hand. In rough-riding — as I have seen it practised on 

 buck-jumpers by Australians, Cowboys, and Cossacks, and 

 on difficult animals of all kinds in various parts of the 

 world — the game is almost entirely one of sticking on. In 

 Australia and New Zealand, the fences are higher and 

 generally stiffer than anything met with in The Shires ; 

 but the variety in obstacles and ground is much less. In 

 pigsticking in India, as I knew it many years ago when 

 I was a subaltern in the " Gunners," and a member of the 

 Nagpore Hunt, there is an almost entire absence of fences ; 

 but the ground is generally far more dangerous to ride 

 over than any line of hunting country, especially as full 

 speed is always the order of the day. Consequently, no 

 form of riding requires more trust in the honour of the 

 horse and forbearance from pulling his mouth about, than 

 the chase of the wild boar. In polo, the player needs all 

 the control of military equitation, with the addition of 

 ability in " riding out." 



The possession of consummate skill in one form of riding 

 by no means implies competency in other varieties of this 

 art. Some of our best steeplechase jockeys have been 

 very moderate on the flat ; and I need hardly say that 

 few flat-race jockeys are good across country. In this 



