l88i — 1885. 103 



makes two deep ruts, and has to be taken on a track 

 parallel to the old one, where it makes two more deep 

 ruts, and so on, till, by the time the turf is all carried, 

 there are ten or a dozen deep ruts running parallel to 

 each other, from two to three feet apart. In the 

 summer the heather grows luxuriantly over the new 

 turned soil and hides the said ruts, so that the un- 

 wary stranger, galloping best pace at right angles to 

 them, is apt to find himself and his horse suddenly 

 thrown on the ground for no apparent reason. 



From these causes one who does not know the 

 country soon finds himself brought to a standstill on 

 Exmoor, unless he take an experienced man for his 

 leader. Ride to a leader the stranger must on Exmoor. 

 But equally he must give him plenty of room in cross- 

 ing deep ground, for even the experienced sometimes 

 come to grief. For the rest there are no better rules 

 than the two following, laid down by the man who 

 knows Exmoor better and can ride over it better than 

 any one else : — (i.) Take a pull whenever the ground 

 changes colour (as from heather to grass, or vice versa) ^ 

 for if the new ground be deep you stand less chance, 

 at a diminished pace, of coming down. (2.) Get to the 

 bottom of every hill at the same time with the hounds, 

 for they can always beat horses going up a steep hill. 



