HUNTING-Match. The first thing that is to be considered by one who designs to match his horse for his own advantage, and his horse's credit, is not to flatter himself with the opinion of his horse, by fancying that he is a swift, when he is but a slow gallopper; and that he is a whole-running-horse, that is, that he will run four miles without a sob at the height of his speed, when he is not able to run two or three. Very probably some gentlemen are led into this error, by their being mistaken in the speed of their hounds, who for want of trying them against other dogs that have been really fleet, have supposed their own to be so, when in reality they are but of a middling speed; and because their horse, when trained, was able to follow them all day, and upon any hour, to command them upon deep as well as light earths, have therefore made a false conclusion, that their horse is as swift as the best; but, upon trial against a horse that has been rightly trained after hounds that were truly fleet, have bought their experience perhaps full dear. Therefore it is advisable for all lovers of hunting to procure two or three couple of tried hounds, and once or twice a-week to follow after them at train-scent; and when he is able to top them on all sorts of earth, and to endure heats and colds stoutly, then he may better rely on his speed and toughness.
That horse which is able to perform a hare-chase of five or six miles briskly and courageously, till his body be as it were bathed in sweat; and then, after the
hare has been killed, in a nipping frosty morning, can Hunting. endure to stand till the sweat be frozen on his back, so that he can endure to be pierced with the cold as well as the heat; and then, even in that extremity of cold, to ride another chase as briskly, and with as much courage as he did the former; that horse which can thus endure heats and colds is most valued by sportsmen. Therefore in order to make a judgment of the goodness of a horse, observe him after the death of the first hare, if the chase has been any thing brisk: if, when he is cold, he shrinks up his body, and draws his legs up together, it is an infallible sign of want of vigour and courage: the like may be done by the slackening of his girths after the first chase, and from the dulness of his teeth, and the dulness of his countenance, all which are true tokens of faintness and being tired; and such a horse is not to be relied on in case of a wager.
Here it will not be improper to take notice of the way of making matches in former times, and the modern way of deciding wagers. The old way of trial was, by running so many train-scents after hounds, as was agreed upon between the parties concerned, and a bell-course, this being found not so uncertain, but more durable than hare-hunting; and the advantage consisted in having the trains led on earth most suitable to the qualifications of the horses. But now others choose to hunt the hare till such an hour, and then to run this wild-goose chase; a method of racing that takes its name from the manner of the flight of wild-geese, which is generally one after another; so the two horses after running of twelve-score yards, had liberty, which horse soever could get the leading, to ride what ground he pleased, the hindmost horse being bound to follow him, within a certain distance agreed on by articles, or else to be whipped up by the triers or judges which rode by; and whichever horse could distance the other won the match.
But this chase, in itself very inhuman, was soon found to be very destructive to good horses, especially when two good horses were matched; for neither being able to distance the other till both were ready to sink under their riders through weakness, oftentimes the match was vain to be drawn and left undecided, though both the horses were quite spoiled.
This brought up the custom of train-scents, which afterwards was changed to three heats and a straight course; and that the lovers of horses might be encouraged to keep good ones, plates have been erected in many places in Britain. The fewer of these before you come to the course, if your horse be fiery and mettled, the better; and the shorter the distance, the better. Also, above all things, be sure to make your bargain to have the leading of the first train; and then make choice of such grounds where your horse may best show his speed, and the fleetest dogs you can procure: give your hounds as much law before you as your triers will allow, and then making a loose, try to win the match with a wind; but if you fail in this attempt, then bear your horse, and save him for the course; but if your horse be slow, but well-winded, and a true spurred nag, then the more train-scents you run before you come to the straight-course, the better. But here you ought to observe to gain the leading of the first train; which in this case you must lead.
Hunting lead upon such deep earths, that it may not end near
|| any light ground: for this is the rule received among
|| horsemen, that the next train is to begin where the
last ends, and the last train is to be ended at the start-
ing place of the course; therefore remember to end
your last on deep earths, as well as the first.