22 DEER-STALKING. 



the rider in safety, till a sudden neigh proclaims the 

 lodge is near, and a few minutes later the lights of 

 the house gladden the eyes. It is perhaps blowing 

 great guns and raining cats and dogs, and even the 

 pony's ears are lost in darkness; under such circum- 

 stances a hot tub, dinner, and cigar assume an alto- 

 gether unwonted value. 



These hill ponies are mostly turned out for the night 

 either on to the hill or into a walled enclosure ; the 

 latter is much the best, as they cannot stray, and it 

 saves a lot of time and trouble catching them each 

 morning. Many lodges, however, have no enclosed 

 place, and then to get them all in quickly the master 

 pony should be caught first, and the rest will usually 

 follow. It is curious how some one particular pony 

 will assume the leadership of the others ; but it always 

 happens so, and even if half-a-dozen strange ponies that 

 have never met before are turned out together, in a few 

 hours, by some mutual understanding, one will take the 

 lead and the rest will go wherever he shows the way. 



Never on any pretence gallop these ponies, for being 

 entirely grass-fed they are in no condition for it, and 

 are quickly rendered broken- winded. Valets and ser- 

 vants going to post or sent on messages are frequent 

 transgressors in this respect, and should always be 

 strictly cautioned. 



With regard to your own personal condition, if plenty 

 of lawn tennis be played, and hansoms and " pints " 

 eschewed, and hill-walking is not an unaccustomed 

 exercise, the shooter will be fairly fit at the commence- 

 ment of the season, and each day out will make him 



