RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



sportsmen at the present day, particularly after 

 a sharpish scurry in deep ground, before his 

 eye rests on the thin tail, and smoothly turned 

 quarters, that need no gaudier blazon to attest 

 the nobility of their descent. 



If you mean, however, to ride a thorough-bred 

 one, and choose to make him yourself, do not 

 feel disappointed that he seems to require more 

 time and tuition than his lower - born cousins, 

 once and twice removed. 



In the first place you will begin by thinking 

 him wanting in courage! Where the half-bred 

 one, eager, flurried, and excited, rushes wildly 

 at an unaccustomed difficulty, your calmer 

 gentleman proceeds deliberately to examine its 

 nature, and consider how he can best accomplish 

 his task. It is not that he has less valour, but 

 more discretion! In the monotonous process of 

 training, he has acquired, with other tiresome 

 tricks, the habit of doing as little as he can, in 

 the different paces, walk, canter, and gallop, of 

 which he has become so weary. Even the 

 excitement of hunting till hounds really run, 

 hardly dissipates his aristocratic lethargy, but 

 only get him in front for one of those scurries 

 that, perhaps twice in a season, turn up a fox 

 in twenty minutes, and if you dare trust him, 

 you will be surprised at the brilliant performance 

 of your idle, negligent, wayward young friend. 



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