2 THE HUNTING FIELD AS A SCHOOL 



such pride unwarrantable, for it is the possession of 

 these advantages which has made our EngHsh cavahy 

 what it is, and has earned for us the admiration and 

 respect of all other nations. We have in a very great 

 measure to thank the hunting field for our supremacy 

 in this respect ; for although the actual rank and file 

 may not have the advantages of training therein, those 

 who lead them have ; nor can there be any school 

 which is so well calculated to bring out and mature the 

 good qualities of horse and man as riding to hounds. 

 Activity, nerve, and intelligence are all requisite, and 

 to a very marked degree, to enable a man and horse 

 to live the pace when hounds are running over a 

 country. Nor will the possession of these three 

 qualities alone be found sufficient, for they must be 

 further supplemented by the ability to use them fully, 

 and such ability can only be secured by experience and 

 practice. The horse must be trained and brought into 

 a condition necessary to enable it to use its powers 

 fully, and the man must be able to avail himself of the 

 powers of the animal ; and this latter he cannot do 

 unless he can ride, and has the experience requisite to 

 use them aright, and to the best advantage both of 

 himself and his horse. 



Now, since it is a well-known axiom that 'we must 

 learn to walk before we can hope to run,' so is it 

 equally indisputable that before a man can attempt 

 to follow hounds on horseback he must learn to ride ; 

 nor can the tuition which is necessary for the acquisi- 

 tion of such an accomplishment be commenced much 

 too early in life. I do not wish it to be inferred that I 

 am an advocate for children being taught to ride too 

 early, because I consider that as children vary so much 



