256 Tally ho, 



apparently in good health and riding hard to hounds, 

 as he was wont to do, notwithstanding his age ; but 

 then comes deaths "and with a little pin, bores 

 through his castle walls, and farewell King/' 



Next we proceeded to draw Watford Cover, which, 

 however, does not hold a fox to-day, and thinking my 

 horse had had enough, i turned his head and 

 retraced my steps to Rugby, coming to the 

 conclusion, as I trotted quietly back, that there is 

 nothing more delightful than to ride a horse who is an 

 equally good performer on the road as he is over the 

 grass, a combination not always met with, and I know 

 nothing more tiring than to ride a tired horse home 

 after a hard run who trips and stumbles at every 

 step. 



In the Pytchley country, be it understood, it is no 

 use to bring an indifferent animal if you intend to go 

 straight ; it must be a blood-like, stout, courageous 

 horse, and a bold fencer, if he is to carry you close 

 to hounds over these big fields and fences. Not a 

 screw such as " Petruchio ^' bestrode, which was de- 

 scribed as being " full of windgalls, sped with spavins, 

 swayed in the back and shoulder shotten." No, you 

 will be out of the hunt entirely, unless you are well 

 mounted, when you hunt with the Pytchley. 



During my stay at Rugby I had a look over Mr. 

 Darby's stud, numbering somewhere about 100 first 

 class, highly bred hunters, one of which, freshly 

 arrived from Ireland, especially took my fancy, as he 

 would that of anyone who knows what a hunter 

 should be, a superb chesnut horse with a lovely head 

 and neck, up to any weight, with a big reputation, 

 and worth a flower-pot full of money — at least, that 

 is my opinion. 



