' TRAINING 81 



wants to enforce obedience or immobilise his horse, and 

 to stop even a hard puller it is generally sufficient to 

 raise the hands, stand up in the stirrups, close the 

 fingers on the reins, press the toes down, and to squeeze 

 the horse with the knees. Horses that are weak in 

 their hind legs are perhaps better stopped on the 

 forehand in this way, as sitting back in the saddle and 

 pressing the seat down puts the greater part of the 

 strain on the hocks and fetlocks. 



When riding at a jump, the rider should keep his 

 back supple, press his seat bones forwards, close the 

 elbows into the sides, and stimulate his horse with the 

 legs to collect himself, raise his forehand, and jump 

 with his hind legs well under the body. If we wish to 

 give the horse absolutely free use of his neck when 

 jumping, we can hold the ends of the reins all together 

 in the right hand between two fingers, and take a short 

 hold with the left hand till he takes off. The right 

 hand can then balance the horse, if necessary, by 

 drawing the left reins against the neck ; as the horse 

 nearly always falls on the near side. 



One should never ride for a fall unnecessarily, but 

 there are times when it is necessary to risk a fall on the 

 right side of a fence, and in this case there must be 

 no refusal on the take off side owing to want of drivins" 

 power on the part of the rider. 



If the obstacle happens to be open water or a wide 

 ditch, most horses prefer to lower their necks and 

 stretch out their noses, so as to enable them to get their 

 hind legs particularly well under them, and it is as well 

 to ease the reins so as to not check this extension. 



in all games depends to a greater extent upon strong, supple 

 joints, and the opportune application of weight, than on muscvilaf 

 .power. 



G 



