290 FOX-HUNTING IN THE SHIRES 



advocated its disuse, of whom the chief was Whyte- 

 Melville. He devotes a whole chapter in his " Riding 

 Recollections " to the " abuse of the spur." We may 

 infer from this title that Major Whyte-Melville 

 would not have objected to the proper use of spurs, 

 but we also gather from the chapter in question 

 that he was rather doubtful as to when the use of 

 spurs was legitimate. I think that the question is 

 one which lends itself admirably to argument, but 

 is really decided in practice in favour of spurs. 

 Very few men would ride over Leicestershire without 

 them. 



Nor is this merely because spurs are no doubt 

 an admirable decoration to a well hung boot, but 

 because they have a real use on the road and in the 

 field, and should not be disused because they are 

 only for occasional use. A stimulus, like a stimu- 

 lant, is all the more effective if used but seldom. A 

 sudden touch with the spurs will often decide a 

 horse to jump when he has doubts about refusing. 

 Taken by surprise, he will often spring, and if at 

 the same time we catch hold of his head, a touch of 

 the spurs has the effect of making him bring his hind 

 legs well under him as he takes off. Many horses 

 will neither gallop nor jump at all freely if the rider 

 has no spurs on. One horse I knew was admirable 

 with spurs if he knew they were on his rider's heels, 

 but without them he was impossible. It was not 

 necessary often to use them, if on first mounting, or 

 on the first sign of recalcitrance he was touched 

 behind the girth with the rowels. That was enough, 

 and he would go freely and well all day. Leave the 

 spurs at home, and you could hardly induce him to 

 go decently on the road. There are very many 

 horses like this, and every one can recall similar 



