r their poorer sister was
doubtless riding the best horse she could get, and the hearing of such
rude remarks may entirely spoil her day's pleasure.

THE HORN.

Mr. J. Anstruther Thompson in his most instructive book, _Hints to
Huntsmen_, gives the following horn notes and explanation of their
meaning. Ladies who intend to hunt should study the music of the horn in
order that they may understand what hounds are doing in covert (Fig.
135), and be ready to start off as soon as they hear the recognised
signal.

"To call hounds on when drawing a covert."

[Illustration: Music]

"A prolonged swelling note to call them away."

[Illustration: Music]

"A long single note when all are away."

[Illustration: Music]

"A double note when on a scent (called doubling the horn)."

[Illustration: Music]

"Two short notes and a long one for 'Gone away.'"

[Illustration: Music]

"'Tally-ho! back,' on horn and crack of whip."

[Illustration: Music]

"A rattle for 'Whoo, whoop.'"

[Illustration: Music]

From the foregoing it will be seen that it is necessary to be on the
alert for short notes, because they mean business, while the long ones
denote a covert drawn blank.

HIRELINGS.

The large majority of hunting women ride their own animals, or mounts
lent them by friends; but some less fortunate ones have to content
themselves with hirelings, many of which are unreliable conveyances,
because they pass through so many hands, that they run a great risk of
being spoiled by bad riders, and in that respect, horses have
unfortunately very retentive memories. From two to three guineas is the
usual charge for a day; and from L12 to L20 for a month. In both cases,
the job-master has to bear all reasonable risks. A person who hires a
horse for longer than a day, has to keep the animal and pay for his
shoeing. L15 a month is a reasonable charge for the loan of a good
hunter. When wishing to hire by the month, it is well to go to a
job-master who has a large collection of hirelings, like Mr. Sam Hames
of Leicester, so that the hirer may get a change of mounts, in the event
of the first not being suitable.

[Illustration: _Photo. from_ "_Country Life._"
Fig. 135.--The Cottesmore drawing a covert.]

I have ridden a few hirelings, but hunting on them gave me no pleasure;
because I was entirely ignorant of their capabilities, and it is not a
pleasant feeling to ride at a nasty fence with a big note of
interrogation stick