336 MODERN FAKRIER. 



the bar, and to go over it without halting; and 

 after he has become a little familiar with this prac- 

 tice, he may be led up to it in a trot, and so by de- 

 grees quicker and quicker, until he is brought to 

 leap it flying on a full gallop. 



In going at a leap, the reins should never be held 

 tight, because the horse cannot rise, or have the free 

 use of his shoulders and fore-legs, except his head 

 be at perfect liberty. JNIany riders, however, have a 

 notion that a horse's head should be a little held up 

 by the bridle, with a view, as they term it, of assist- 

 ing him, and directing him how to measure his leap. 

 This is, however, a very mistaken notion, as many 

 riders knov/ to their cost ; it very often is the 

 means of pulling the horse into a ditch. A horse 

 will always learn how to measure his leap, if left to 

 himself, better than when the rider attempts to re- 

 gulate his motion ; because, if his head be held up 

 and constrained by the bridle, he can neither see so 

 well where he is going, nor can he have the free use 

 of his shoulders and fore-legs, both of which are ab- 

 solutely necessary to enable him to accomplish the 

 leap with ease and safety. Sportsmen, in general, 

 entertain a curious idea, that a horse can extend his 

 leap if he discovers the ditch to be wider than he 

 expected, by taking an additional spring whilst he 

 is going over it. But tliis is certainly a very erro- 

 neous notion ; for after the horse has once quitted 

 the ground with his hind-legs, he can neither in- 

 crease nor diminish the exertion or spring with 

 Mdiich he began his leap, because no poisit of resist- 

 ance remains for his hind-legs to spring from. 



In leaping, it is necessary that the rider should 

 keep his body back ; because, by so doiiig, a great 

 deal of the shock is avoided. The motion of the 

 horse is, in fact, similar to that of a rocking-horse ; 

 namely, he first rises with his fore-parts, and ulti- 

 mately with his hinder ones ; therefore, if the rider 

 projects his body forwards at that period of the leap. 



