jo8 RIDING 



make it about eighteen inches from the ground ; but it ought 

 to be fixed up pretty firmly, so that in stepping over it if the 

 horse does not step quite clear, it will not come down 

 unless he hits it rather hard. The bar should be well 

 bound with hay, or some other soft material, so that he 

 cannot hurt himself much. It is the usual practice to bind 

 the leaping bar with furze, which is a very good plan later 

 on, when the horse has been taught to jump, as it induces a 

 lazy one to jump high enough to clear it, but hay or straw 

 bound round it is the best when beginning with a young 

 one. 



The horse should not be required even to step over the bar 

 more than three or four times in a day, and that at the end of 

 his usual lesson, just before he is sent to his stable ; there is 

 nothing more likely to make him careless and slovenly than to 

 be kept going round and round over the same thing for a long 

 time. When he has got accustomed to walk over the bar, 

 the cavesson rein should be let out, and he should be made 

 to describe a circle, so as to longe him over at a trot. If he 

 only trot over, be satisfied, and if he does so pretty kindly, 

 put it up another hole the next day, and he will most likely 

 jump it. Never mind how awkwardly he does it, so long as he 

 goes over. Repeat it a few times, make much of him and let 

 him go in. When he jumps freely on the longe over the bar 

 about three feet high, the cavesson may be taken off and he 

 may be ridden over. When longeing a horse over the bar, the 

 person who is doing it should take care to lift the cavesson 

 rein over the post in time, so as to avoid getting it caught, 

 which would most likely baulk the horse. There is a certain 

 amount of knack in doing this nicely. It is easily done if the 

 man is about in line with the bar when the horse comes to it, 

 but if he allow the horse to get in front of him there is sure to 

 be a certain amount of jerk, which, even if the rein clears the 

 post, ought to be avoided. 



When the horse is first ridden over the bar it should again 

 be lowered to the first hole, the rider should be most careful 



