THE HUNTER AND HIS EDUCATION 



returns for his kindness." After this experience 

 he finds that he duly reaches home, to which the 

 only apparent way led over the fences, is made 

 much of, and well fed upon arrival. Practically 

 your hunter is ready for you now, and if you 

 never ask him for extraordinary efforts in cold 

 blood (but heed only his manners and the form 

 in which he works), you may attempt when hounds 

 are running, to jump anything in (or out of) 

 reason ; he will try, anyway, and that 's all any 

 horse or man can do. 



You may do about the same thing with hounds, 

 and with no preliminary schooling ; letting him 

 see the field go on, and then following quietly after 

 for a mile or two ; leaving off, for a few times, 

 while he is still eager and fresh ; and you will 

 generally have a surprisingly safe ride. The nov- 

 ice always jumps big, especially after he has 

 rapped his shins once and, if he falls, he takes the 

 greatest care not to hurt you, and, being unterri- 

 fied by previous disaster, will always try to get 

 up — a thing that an old horse will not always 

 do, especially if a bit blown ; and this it is very 

 handy to have him attempt, if he is lying on 

 your cigars — you may want to smoke ! In fact, 

 in a long experience of riding all sorts of horses, 



169 



