86 HOLDING A HORSE BY THE HEAD 



power of action ; but I should most decidedly deprecate 

 any such treatment of a horse which has any pretensions 

 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 off 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 require 

 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 hand, which, if left to their own dis- 

 cretion, 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 sides, 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 a good rider much more safely to 

 the end of a run, even with loose reins, and without whip 

 or spur, than an inexperienced one using all three to his 

 annoyance and hindrance. 



He that would see the end as well as the beginning of 

 a good run must commence his operations on horseback 

 in a quiet, rational manner, and conduct them throughout 

 with discretion ; bearing in mind that the reins are 



