On Hunting - Letters to Young Sportsmen - Part I.

THE war has introduced hundreds of young men to the horse in R.A. and K.A.S.C. as company commanders and transport officers, and other ways. They rode and learnt to like it, and now the war is over many will think of hunting who, had it not been for the equestrian side of soldiering, would never have thought of following hounds. To these I write. I disclaim any idea of laying down the law on so complex a subject. The veteran will think it all absurdly elementary, but let that same veteran, not being a soldier, turn at fifty to make up a pay sheet or write an appreciation on manceuvre orders and see what, sort of a hand he makes of it. Hunting men made splendid officers. The sport had developed their initiative, confidence in themselves, and the pourer of quick grasp on situations. Map reading and the use of ground came easy to them. Those now beginning hunting will never regret having done so, it will open to them a new vista of enjoyment. Hunting improves on acquaintance, gives more than it promises and, after thc initial stages are over, is nothing but rewards and rewards which endure till anno domini calls a halt. In the past, boys started hunting on ponies, even in baskets on donkeys. I have seen a baby of eighteen months blooded in a perambulator. This rather unsavoury ceremony consists in the huntsman smearing the childs cheeks with the blood of a newly killed fox. The rite is considered almost sacred in some families and each child is blooded, if opportunity occurs, when first he appears at the covert side. The knowledge of hunting a decade ago was gained during a childhood passed in intimate contact with those who knew all about hunting, and its ins and outs were absorbed automatically. Now, however, as we are to learn older, we must learn more quickly. So we will go straight to the meet with our budding foxhunter. Later, perhaps, we will touch upon the purchase of the right class of horse for various countries, horsemastership, hounds and riding to them. By the way, remember you ride to foxhounds and at staghounds. Goodness knows why. Another opportunity may occur to enlarge on bitting, saddlery, equipment and so on. A few days hunting, however, with our eyes open will make these later hints all the more easy to follow. Before going to the meet consult a good large scale map. They can be got of most hunts with names of fixtures and coverts shown clearly. Your map reading knowledge will now be found useful. Get the lie of the country, its boundaries, rivers and natural features in your head. Try to fix the position of coverts in relation to each other and to villages, railways and the like. When you get home at night and half the pleasure of hunting is the contemplation of the days doings, go over the country covered with the map in front of you, trace where you have been and note the coverts drawn. On the fateful morning start early enough to go steadily to the meet, at a walk, or at best, a collectcd trot, and use what grass you can on the roadsides. Nothing is worse than clattering helter-skelter to the covert side, like a butchers boy delivering meat. Never jump a fence, school a horse or lark over a line of country going to or from a days hunting. Something always happens you cast a shoe, lame your mount, or fall off and the horse puts his foot through your new silk hat. I can remember all these troubles happening to me in the days before I learnt sense...