DISCRETION 



Discretion, you observe, should accompany the 

 hardest riders, and is not to be laid aside even in 

 the confusion and excitement of a fall. 



This must prove a frequent casualty with every 

 man, however well mounted, if the hounds show 

 sport and he means to be with them while they 

 run. It seems a paradox, but the oftener you are 

 down, the less likely you are to be hurt. Practice 

 soon teaches you to preserve presence of mind, 

 or, as I may be allowed to call it, discretion, and 

 when you know exactly where your horse is, you 

 can get away from him before he crushes you 

 with the weight of his body. A foot or a hand 

 thrust out at the happy moment, is enough to 

 "fend you off," and your own person seldom 

 comes to the ground with such force as to do you 

 any harm, if there is plenty of dirt. In the 

 absence of that essential to sport, hunters are not 

 distressed, and therefore do not often fall. 



If, however, you have undertaken to temper 

 the rashness of a young one with your own 

 discretion, you must expect occasional reverses ; 

 but even thus, there are many chances in your 

 favour, not the least of which is your pupil's 

 elasticity. Lithe and agile, he will make such 

 gallant efforts to save himself as usually obviate 

 the worst consequences of his mistake. The 

 worn-out, the underbred, or the distressed horse 

 comes down like a lump of lead, and neither 

 K 127 



