CONDITION OF HUNTERS RESUMED 323 



as often as he feels inclined, and to put his whole 

 frame into motion, to the very great relief of all the 

 muscles and joints in his frame. Loose boxes are 

 also recommended for mares in the spring of the year, 

 for reasons too obvious to specify, and for all horses 

 labouring under disease, or lame, and for such as 

 carry very heavy weights. 



The permanent objection to loose boxes for general 

 use consists in the great space of ground they occupy, 

 so that it is impossible to keep a large stud loose. ^ 



LEAPING BAR 



In the leaping bar, weights are suspended at the 

 extreme ends ; so that in leaping, should a horse push 

 or strike against the bar, it bends down to the earth 

 before him, and he infallibly clears it, even if he were 

 not to leap a foot high. As some horses may not be 

 disposed to leap when they have discovered the trick 

 of the bar, it may be loaded with more weight, and 

 they may thus be punished into the performance. 

 The bar may also be fixed by bolting it with a little 

 bolt shot into the side posts. The notches in the 

 posts are to receive the axles of the bar, to raise or 

 lower it as required. This may be said to be a sort 

 of cockneyish contrivance, but I think there is merit 

 in it : and I am far from condemning the use of 

 leaping-bars, as it is so much the fashion now not 

 to consider a horse a perfect hunter unless he will 

 leap timber in a stand. 



^ The value of isolated loose boxes cannot be over-estimated. — 

 Editor. 



