HUNTERS AND HUNTING. 587 



your hands can touch the curb rein as softly as " My Lady " 

 does the keys. 



Teach him to drop his neck to the curb rein like a polo 

 pony, and without any warning be able to turn, take a stride, 

 and jump either over the wall at the right or the left; dis- 

 mount, walk up to the bar way, take down the two top bars 

 leaving them about two feet, six inches, step over yourself, and 

 lead him up until his knees rattle the top rail ; then pat him, 

 stand him back a foot or two, and teach him to follow you 

 over; it will not be long before you can ride him up in front 

 of a four-foot jump, speak to him, and he will stand back, 

 steady himself on his hocks, and pop over; by the way, look 

 out that he does not pop you off ! 



Another day put on a plain snaffle with a big ring, a 

 good hemp rope knotted around the neck, get in quietly 

 behind an easy starting and smooth going cob, lead your 

 hunter here and there, brush him up against the wheel so 

 that he knows its danger, and stop him once or twice so that 

 he will know what will happen if an accident should occur. 

 Then another day teach him to lead beside another horse, as 

 there is nothing so undesirable as a mount that has to be 

 ridden or led in some special way to the meet. 



Do not think because the new saddle you buy stands up 

 over the withers for the width of your hand, that it is over- 

 stuffed ; three or four months' riding will bring it down so 

 that by fall you can put two fingers under nicely; the better 

 the withers are the harder it will be to fit the saddle ; re- 

 member the saddle can never be fitted by putting something 

 on the withers to protect them ; the padding needs to be put 

 along where the rib arch joins the backbone. 



Ride with a plain flap if you can, and see that the lining 



