IRISH HUNTERS 



spade and the pipe, soon raise to six or seven 

 feet. When the 'young one has learned to 

 surmount this temperately, but with courage, to 

 change on the top, and deliver itself handsomely, 

 with the requisite fling and freedom, on the far 

 side, he considers it sufficiently advanced to take 

 into the fields, where he leads it forthwith, 

 leaving behind him the spade," but holding fast to 

 the corn, the cavesson, and the pipe. Here he 

 soon teaches his colt to wait, quietly grazing, or 

 staring about, while he climbs the fence he 

 intends it to jump, and almost before the long 

 rein can be tightened it follows like a dog, to 

 poke its nose in his hand for the few grains of 

 oats it expects as a reward. 



Some breakers drive their pupils from behind, 

 with reins, pulling them up when they have 

 accomplished the leap ; but this is not so good a 

 plan as necessitating the use of the whip, and 

 having, moreover, a further disadvantage in 

 accustoming the colt to stop dead short on 

 landing, a habit productive hereafter of incon- 

 venience to a loose rider taken unawares ! 



When he has taught his horse thus to ivalk 

 over a country, for two or three miles on end, 

 the breaker considers it, with reason, thoroughly 

 trained for leaping, and has no hesitation, however 

 low its condition, in riding it out with the hounds. 

 Who that has hunted in Ireland but can recall 

 L 143 



