Mr. J. M. Richardson's Writings Collated 



have fences exactly like those that we are accustomed to meet 

 with out hunting - , but I think the executive could certainly 

 improve on the obstacles I saw there last year, which were 

 artificial in the extreme, and not a bit like the real thing. The 

 drop fence, which teaches the rider to sit back and the horse to 

 land on his hind legs, cannot be made easily ; but there is no 

 earthly reason that I can see why a narrow bank with a ditch 

 each side, almost identical with the average fence in a bank 

 country, should not take its place. In any case, I advocate 

 the ditch on the " take-off " side, which was conspicuous by its 

 absence last year. 



The " double " is a useful sort of jump and should be twelve 

 feet in between. 



The jump of six or seven feet in height is merely a trick, 

 and to my mind savours rather of a circus. Any horse with 

 patience and practice can be schooled to accomplish this, but 

 except to win money at the different shows it is of little practical 

 value. The winners of the high jump at Olympia would, in 

 all probability, cut a sorry figure in a run over a blind country 

 in October. 



The fact that the fences at Olympia give way at the least 

 touch is sure to make horses careless. On the other hand, 

 were they made really strong, like those you meet with out 

 hunting, there would be bad accidents for certain, so that the 

 executive in not taking any risk are wise in their generation. 

 In my opinion artificial jumps are of very little use in making 

 a hunter. Drive your equine pupil in long reins over a natural 

 country and he will soon learn his business. 



It should also be borne in mind that for a horse to jump 

 a big fence when fresh, and when blown and leg-weary, are 

 two very different things. 



The bank last year at Olympia was a great deal too broad 



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