Most falls, however, do no harm whatever to
either horse or rider, and after they have picked themselves up and
shaken themselves, the couple ought to be able to go on just as well as
ever. Of course a man who wishes to keep in the first flight must expect
to face a certain number of tumbles; but even he will probably not
be hurt at all, and he can avoid many a mishap by easing up his horse
whenever he can--that is, by always taking a gap when possible, going at
the lowest panel of every fence, and not calling on his animal for
all there is in him unless it cannot possibly be avoided. It must be
remembered that hard riding is a very different thing from good riding;
though a good rider to hounds must also at times ride hard.
Cross-country riding in the rough is not a difficult thing to learn;
always provided the would-be learner is gifted with or has acquired a
fairly stout heart, for a constitutionally timid person is out of place
in the hunting field. A really finished cross-country rider, a man who
combines hand and seat, heart and head, is of course rare; the standard
is too high for most of us to hope to reach.
Pages:
202
203
204
205
206
207
208
209
210
211
212
213
214
215
216
217
218
219
220
221
222
223
224
225
226