HOUNDS AND HORSES 263 



He had met them and stopped them off a stag on the 

 wet ground on Dunkerry, and with his couples, the 

 straps of his breastplate, a handkerchief, a bit of 

 string, and the thong of his whip had captured and 

 secured three or four couple : it was a good perform- 

 ance, but I think he was glad to hand them over to 

 the huntsman, especially as he was able to get his 

 second horse at the same time. 



The men always have two horses out, frequently a 

 pony for the tufting besides ; but the best second 

 horseman cannot always be in the right place, and the 

 days, as has been shown, are sometimes very long, 

 even for two horses. 



People ask, not unfrequently, whether horses do 

 not require a special education before they become 

 comfortable mounts over Exmoor ; but provided they 

 will look where they are going, and change their legs 

 if they see they are about to put their feet into a deep 

 rut or on to a big stone, they are all right, and any 

 horse with sense soon learns that much ; though if he 

 has run on the moor as a young one, or been ridden 

 quietly over it during the summer it is all the better, 

 as then he is less likely to get frightened if he finds 

 himself up to his girths in a bog. 



As in most countries, not less depends on the 

 rider than on the animal he bestrides ; only you 



