114 HORSES AND EIDING. 



wanted to stop him, and the second requisite, that 

 you should be able to make him go on when you 

 want him to go on. 



This is even more applicable in riding across 

 country. You cannot ride with any safety if you can- 

 not stop your horse, and you cannot ride with any 

 pleasure if you cannot make him go on. 



What is more unpleasant than to have to stand 

 about fifty yards off a fence, calling out to somebody 

 to tell you what there is on the other side, because 

 you dare not go and see for yourself, for fear your horse 

 should go at it whether you wish or not ? And yet 

 there are many horses, and even man}^ good horses, 

 that if you put them at a fence, and suddenly see 

 something which causes you to wish to stop, it is a 

 matter of great difficulty to stop them. Many falls 

 are caused by this, and many more runs are lost, 

 because the rider dare not take his horse exactly 

 where he likes. 



Now, as I said before, a horse which has never 

 jumped a fence never rushes at one, and they only 

 rush because they have been taught to do so. 



People often ride a young horse at a fence hold- 

 ing him tight by tlie head for fear he should spin 

 round, and spurring him for fear he should stop, and 

 as often as not striking him just as he is taking off 

 for fear he should not jump high enough. 



Is'ow a young horse dislikes all three of these 

 things excessively, and if he has at all a tender mouth 



