446 STEEPLECHASING. 



previous occasion. The fact of a horse being on one's near 

 side when coming to a fence, lessens the risk of his running 

 into one ; and having him there may, also, prevent one's own 

 horse refusing if he be that way inclined. 



Stirrup leathers for riding across country should generally 

 be a hole or two shorter than for ordinary riding. 



Many of the remarks I have made on flat race riding, also 

 apply to chasing. 



GRAND NATIONAL STEEPLECHASE COURSE. 



The following description of this course (Fig. 248), which 

 is the best example of its kind in England, may prove useful 

 to riders and trainers of 'cross country horses. 



The course, which is a left-handed one, is about 2^ miles 

 round, is very nearly level, and is all grass, with the exception 

 of about 225 yards of light plough between the third and 

 fourth jumps, The soil is sand with a thin covering of mould. 

 The fences are about 21 yards broad, and consist of thorn 

 hedges built up with furze or fir twigs, and supplemented in 

 several instances with ditches. There are altogether 16 

 obstacles, of which 14 are jumped twice, so that 30 have 

 to be negotiated to complete the course. The two fences 

 which are jumped only once are the big open ditch at the 

 Old Distance Post, and the water jump. The start takes 

 place a little in front of the right side of the paddock, and 

 the finish is in front of the junction between the New County 

 Stand and Tattersall's Stand. The canal lies on the left hand 

 side of the course, looking from the Stand ; and two drains, 

 Beecher's Brook and Valentine's Brook, run into it, more or 

 less at right angles, from the higher ground on the right. 

 The thirteenth, fourteenth, fifteenth and sixteenth jumps are 

 within the race course enclosure ; the remaining twelve being 

 "in the country." 



All the obstacles, except the water jump, have guard rails 



