RIDING TO HOUNDS. 241 



use of him over deep ground, and at the wrong time. Many men 

 seem to know no difference between sound turf and rotten or wet 

 arable, and will kick their horses along over high ridge-and-furrow 

 in a wet clay district, at a pace which no horse can bear for more 

 than a mile or two in such a country A workman would look 

 out for headlands or footpaths, &c. ; and would, by a slight ditour, 

 gain upon those who disdained to leave the line even for a few 

 yards. Wet and sticky ridge-and-furrow tires a horse dreadfully, 

 and the consequence is, that if he is pushed over it he speedily 

 loses his powers and wind, and falls in a very ugly way at the first 

 fence he comes to of a size above the average. Hence, every man 

 who aspires to go well to hounds must learn to be a "judge of 

 pace," and should endeavor to make out the signs of distress, and 

 the best way of avoiding it. So much depends upon condition 

 and breeding, that it is very difficult for a man with a strange horse 

 to know what liberties he may take with him. Some well-bred 

 ones will be blown, yet if nursed they will come again and again, 

 while the dunghill-animal will give up when once he has lost his 

 wind, and is gone for that day at least. In ascending steep banks, 

 a careful and active horseman will dismount and lead his horse up, 

 and by so doing often gains a mile or two upon his less humane 

 and cautious antagonist. In ascending hills it is often expedient 

 to make a zigzag; but in descending you can never go too straight, 

 as the opposite course often leads to a dangerous slip on the side, 

 with a crushed knee or ankle as a consequence. Few horses fall 

 forwards, and they always manage to save themselves by slipping 

 down on their haunches. This is a point of great importance, and 

 should always be strictly attended to. 



There are two general directions, which will serve for 

 almost all descriptions of fence. These are, that if a height is to 

 be overcome, the horse should be taken slowly up to it, in a col- 

 lected manner, with his haunches well under him. On the other 

 hand, width requires impetus, and the pace should be forced 

 during the last few strides up to a very high rate. Under the 

 former head may be classed timber (in all the varieties of gates, 

 single posts and rails, stiles, and palings), walls, strong pleached 

 fences, and banks. To the latter belong water in all shapes, 

 • double posts-and-rails, bullfinches, and those fences with a ditch 

 on both sides, as well as those which have a wide one on the land- 

 ing side. In addition to these there are the actual standing leap, 

 seldom practised in the present day, the creeping style, the " on 

 and off" leap, and the " drop," which is a variety of the standing 

 leap. 



In collecting the horse, and properly putting him at his 

 fence, there is a great art, and nothing but practice will give it in 

 perfection. Double-posts-and-rails require a great deal of collect- 



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