118 HOLDING THE HORSE BY THE HEAD. 



tensions to the name of a made hunter. What 

 would be the result of holding him well by the 

 head, and cramming in the spurs at first starting ? 

 It would render him, if high spirited, fractious and 

 out of temper for the whole run, and, in revenge, 

 he would probably put his rider into the first ditch, 

 or topple him over a five-barred gate — and serve 

 him quite right. To men who cannot sit in their 

 saddles without holding on by their horses' heads, 

 such advice may be very necessary ; but the idea 

 of an experienced fox-hunter going ofi* in this 

 style from the covert side when the hounds are 

 just away is quite preposterous. There are times 

 when your horse, being blown by a quick thing, 

 or distressed by a long one, in going at his fences 

 then, or labouring through heavy ground, will re- 

 quire to be held in hand a little ; but I have 

 seen many horses, even at that time of distress, 

 pulled into a ditch by being held too tightly in 

 ha7i(l, which, if left to their own discretion, they 

 would most certainly have cleared. A made 

 hunter ought to have perfect liberty of his head ; 

 but I do not mean by this that he is to be shoved 

 along, with spurs in his side, and reins hanging 

 loosely about his neck^ — this is the other extreme. 

 But on one point I am quite clear, that a horse 

 which knows his business in the field would carry 



