RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



your game. There is plenty of time to "have 

 it out " with a refuser, and indeed to turn him 

 backwards and forwards if you please, over the 

 same leap, without fear of being left behind. 

 The " merry harriers " are pretty sure to return 

 in a few minutes, and you can begin again, with 

 as much enthusiasm of man and horse as if you 

 had never been out of the hunt at all ! Whip 

 and spur, I need hardly insist, cannot be used too 

 sparingly, and anything in the shape of haste or 

 over-anxiety is prejudicial, but if it induces him 

 to jump in his stride, you may ride this kind of 

 horse a turn faster at his fences than any other. 

 You can trust him not to be in too great a hurry, 

 and it is his nature to take care of himself. Till 

 he has become thoroughly accustomed to his new 

 profession, it is well to avoid such places as seem 

 particularly distasteful and likely to make him 

 rebel. His fine skin will cause him to be a little 

 shy of thick bullfinches, and his sagacity mistrusts 

 deep or blind ditches, such as less intelligent 

 animals would run into without a thought. 

 Rather select rails, or clean upright fences, that 

 he can compass and understand. Try to imbue 

 him with love for the sport and confidence in his 

 rider. After a few weeks, he will turn his head 

 from nothing, and go straighter, as well as faster, 

 and longer than anything in your stable. 



An old Meltonian used to affirm that the first 



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