98 HORSEMANSHIP. 



over wide water a strong impetus is essential ; but I insist 

 that, let the pace be ever so great at which the horse is 

 brought down to the jump, he must be collected before 

 actually reaching it. If rushed right on to the bank at the 

 verge of speed he cannot possibly measure his take off, and, 

 if the bank be rotten, may flounder like a behemoth in 

 Limpopo, right into the middle of it, or chest the opposite 

 bank. Spin him at it, let him understand that he has no 

 power to resist your will, that he must go where resolutely 

 directed, and bring him to the brink primed but collected. 



Some rogues, when they first catch a glimpse of the pol- 

 lards, or a sight of water, make up their minds to cut it if 

 possible. When mounted on "^ bnite at water '^^ the rider 

 must hold his head in a vice so that he cannot refuse, a 

 few gentle reminders from the spurs will excite his courage, 

 the pace must gather as he approaches the glittering streak 

 or wintery flow, then a vigorous lift and ''high over ! " will 

 land him in the next field — if he will but make an eflbrt. 

 With such a brute the maximum of speed must be in the 

 last few strides, for any attempt to steady him on the brink 

 would be seized hold of as an excuse for refusing. In short, 

 in riding at water, the horse should be taught that there is 

 no time for making two bites of the cherry ; that he must 

 not go in and out, but over. It is, I grant, a very difficult 

 thing to slacken speed with any horse not ^^ good at water ^ 

 When a dirty, muddy brook, or small river, which meanders 

 or rushes between two perpendicular loamy banks, ten or 

 twelve feet below the level of the field, is deep enough to 

 drown both man and horse, and "dark as Iser rolling 

 rapidly," the prospect is not over-inviting to either biped 

 or quadruped. 



Stone wall jumping, on the back of an Irish horse, or on 

 the back of most horses, Arabs especially, after some prac- 



