They rose early, and at once went about their work.

He saw his men, and then got on his horse and rode round the farm.
He returned to luncheon, saw the men again, and again went out and took a turn of work with them.

He rode a horse because of the distance--the farm being large--not for pleasure.

Without it he could not have visited his fields often enough to satisfy himself that the labourers were going on with their work.

He did not hunt, nor shoot--he had the right, but never exercised it; though occasionally he was seen about the newly-sown fields with a single-barrel gun, firing at the birds that congregated in crowds.
Neither would he allow his sons to shoot or hunt.
One worked with the labourers, acting as working bailiff--it was he who drove the reaping machine, which, after long argument and much persuasion the farmer bought, only to grumble at and abuse every day afterwards.