324 STEEPLE-CHASING. 



it is down, for many horses' tempers may be soon upset when 

 they are let go only to be pulled up and brought back again, 

 and here there is rarely anything to be gained by slipping away 

 in advance. When they are off, hold the horse together, if it be 

 possible, without any of that reaching forward and leaning back 

 to haul at his mouth, which are so often seen : here ' hands ' 

 come in. Many horses have lost their race by fighting with 

 their riders in the first mile or less, and the fight is usually a 

 symptom of bad horsemanship. If your object is only to make 

 running for another horse, and you have no hope of winning, all 

 you have to do is to get over the country as quickly as is com- 

 patible with safety ; but if you are devoted to the infinitely more 

 satisfactory business of winning if possible, remember that in 

 all probability the struggle will take place in the last furlong, 

 and that it is most essential to reserve something for that 

 exciting moment. 



When horses refuse they generally rush round to the left, 

 the reasons most likely being that, as a rule, they are ridden 

 with the left hand, while the whip is used in the right hand, 

 though the expert should be able to use it equally well on 

 either side which may be of service in keeping the horse 

 straight and to change it from hand to hand so rapidly and 

 dexterously that the horse will not note the passage. It is 

 desirable, therefore, not to gallop just to the left of an animal 

 with a disposition to refuse, and as much as possible to avoid 

 lying just in the wake of any horse, most particularly of one 

 that knows how to fall. The rider should be careful, however, 

 not to gallop close to, but some half length behind, any horse ; 

 because the animal that is going in this position has a tendency 

 to take off just as his leader takes off, and if the leader rise 

 from the proper place, several feet are added to the width of 

 the follower's jump, which may make the obstacle too big 

 to be safe or pleasant. This is particularly the case with a 

 young horse. 



If the chaser should blunder over a fence, let that in- 

 estimable gift of patience prevail. ' Hasten slowly ' is an 



