no RIDING 



be gradually raised hole by hole until it is as high as the horse is 

 judged to be capable of clearing with ease. Rushing at a jump 

 is a very bad fault, and one that if not checked is pretty sure 

 sooner or later to bring horse and rider to grief. The majority 

 of horses that learn this very dangerous habit do so from hav- 

 ing in their earlier lessons been flogged or hustled over the bar 

 or whatever obstacle they were being practised over, instead of 

 being walked over it quietly. In most cases where rushing 

 occurs the horse has by bad usage been taught to do the very 

 thing that every one is most anxious to avoid, a fault which 

 takes a long time and great patience to cure. Some horses of 

 a hot fretful disposition are inclined to rush at their jump 

 even at the first time of asking. In their case the best remedy 

 is to take as little notice as possible, but give them their heads 

 so that they may see where they are going, and in time, when 

 they find that nothing awful happens to them, they of their 

 own accord get into the way of taking things more coolly. 

 Many more horses, however, rush more from fear caused by 

 ill-usage as young ones than from any other reason, and 

 the best thing to do for such a one is to walk him nearly 

 up to the bar, halting and making much of him every few 

 paces, occasionally reining back a step or two and going 

 forward again, then when within about three horse's lengths 

 or so, according to the height of the bar (which should be low 

 for this purpose), give him his head and allow him to do it by 

 himself ; make much of him after he is over, and in time he 

 may be got to jump coolly. On the other hand, there are many 

 horses that are perfectly well able to jump but are naturally 

 lazy and slovenly. Two or three strokes with a good sharp 

 cutting whip just behind the rider's leg, to liven them up a 

 little and persuade them to make the necessary exertion, is the 

 best treatment for these. When a horse has to be punished 

 to make him jump, it is better the man on his back should do 

 it, unless it be a case where he must have both hands to keep 

 his horse's head straight, and then a man on foot with a longeing 



