CHAPTER VII 



RIDING OVER THE SHIRES 



Experience of the Grass Countries — Views of Nimrod, the Druid 

 and Whyte-Melville— Other Great Riders — Assheton Smith 

 — Mr. Greene of Rolleston — Dick Christian — His Preference 

 for Young Horses— Sir Harry Goodricke — Lord Forester — 

 Lord Wilton — Tom Firr — Reckless Riders — Mr. Morant — 

 Mr. Canning — Lord Lonsdale — The "other" Tom Smith 

 — His Sport with the Pytchley — Lord Sefton — Mr. Corbet — • 

 Mr. Stubbs — Rival Methods — Economic Sport — Mr. Carring- 

 ton — Other Great Riders of the Past — A Lady's Account of 

 a Hard Run — Fences and Gates — Difficult Places. 



II. Example 



Quickness and some knowledge, or perhaps it would 

 be better to say some experience, of the grass countries 

 is, as I have tried to show, required before you can 

 hope to ride over them. Nevertheless the truth is 

 that there are and must be many different ways of 

 doing this, since no two men are quite alike in their 

 methods, and no two horses in their powers. It has 

 therefore seemed that it may not be unprofitable to 

 collect what information can be found about the 

 methods of famous men in bygone days, and to see 

 how they crossed the country. For the beginner 

 and for the moderate performer there may be in this 

 inquiry both instruction and consolation. 



The best authorities on riding across Leicestershire 

 unquestionably are three : Nimrod, the Druid, and 

 Whyte-Melville. The first and last of these tell us 



