RIDING TO FOX-HOUNDS 



long and severe chases, to which, unhappily, two 

 or three horses may sometimes be sacrificed, the 

 "first flight" are not usually sufferers. Death 

 from exhaustion is more likely to be inflicted 

 cruelly, though unwittingly, on his faithful friend 

 and comrade, by the injudicious and hesitating 

 rider, who has neither decision to seize a com- 

 manding position in front, nor self-denial to be 

 satisfied with an unassuming retirement in rear. 

 His valour and discretion are improperly mixed, 

 like bad punch, and fatal is the result. A timely 

 pull means simply the difference between breath- 

 lessness and exhaustion, but this opportune relief 

 is only available for him who knows exactly how 

 far they brought it, and where the hounds flashed 

 beyond the line of their fox at a check. 



I remember in my youth, alas! long ago, "the 

 old sportsman" — a character for whom, I fear, 

 we entertained in my day less veneration than we 

 professed — amongst many inestimable precepts 

 was fond of propounding the following : — 



"Young gentleman, nurse your hunter carefully 

 at the beginning of a run, and when the others 

 are tired he will enable you to see the end." 



Now, with all due deference to the old sports- 

 man, I take leave to differ with him i7i toto. By 

 nursing one's horse, I conclude he meant riding 

 him at less than half-speed during that critical 

 ten minutes when hounds run their very hardest 



183 



