you can afford; but remember that a workably
sound horse, though blemished or a bit gone in the wind, will give
you plenty of fun, if you do not knock him about.

Obey the Master's orders without argument; in the field he is
supreme.

Hold up your hat if you view the fox away; do not halloa. If none
of the hunt servants see your uplifted hat, go and tell the nearest
of them.

Ride fast at water; if hounds clear a brook a horse has a good
chance of doing so. Steady your horse and let him take his own pace
at big timber.

Keep well away from hounds, and down wind of them at a check. The
steam from heated horses adds a fresh difficulty to recovery of
lost scent. Look out for signs that may indicate the whereabouts or
passing of the fox. Huddling sheep, staring cattle, chattering
magpies, circling rooks, may mean that they see, or have just seen,
the fox.

Never lark over fences; it tires your horse needlessly and may
cause damage and annoy the farmer.

Never take a short cut through a covert that is likely to be drawn
during the day; and keep well away from a covert that hounds are
drawing if you start for home before the day's sport is over, lest
you head the fox.

Always await your turn at a gate or gap; do not try and push
forward in a crowd.

If you follow a pilot, do not "ride in his pocket"; give him plenty
of room, say fifteen lengths, at fences, or if he falls you might
jump on him.

If your horse kicks, tie a knot of red ribbon in his tail. N.B.--Do
not be guilty of using this "rogue's badge" for the sake of getting
room in a crowd, as some men have been known to do.

If a man is down and in danger of being kicked, put your own saddle
over his head.

HINTS CONCERNING THE HUNTER

It should be remembered that in the ordinary routine the horse is
fed three or four times a day. On a hunting day he gets one good
feed early in the morning and loses one or two feeds. Moreover, he
is doing hard work for hours together, with a weight on his back.
Carry a couple of forage biscuits in your pocket to give him during
the day. Also get off and relieve him of your weight when you can
do so.

When he is brought home, put him in his stall or box, slack the
girths, take off the bridle and give him his gru