200 HORSES AND EIDING. 



whip will prevent his running backwards. As soon 

 as he jumps the ditch, one of the men (having settled 

 beforehand which) should let his rope go, and the 

 horse will then run round the other man as if he 

 was getting lunged. He should then be led on to the 

 next fence and the same process repeated. 



The manner in which horses are taught to jump 

 to begin with, is of as much importance as anything. 

 By adopting the foregoing method there is hardly 

 any risk of an accident, and the colt soon acquires 

 confidence. After a few trials they will jump a 

 flight of hurdles as they are lunged round, if the 

 hurdles are in their track. The advantage of having 

 no rider on their backs is very great, and a horse 

 that has been well-taught at two years old in this 

 manner, will want hardly any teaching whatever 

 when it is five years old, and may be ridden in a run 

 without any difficulty when it is old enough, and 

 will go nearly as well as a made hunter. 



Many of the lamenesses of horses are caused by 

 their straining themselves in refusing and turning 

 sharply round, or exerting themselves violently with 

 a weight on their backs. 



After a colt has been taught to jump should 

 come what is commonly called breaking in, which 

 in the manner in which it is sometimes done I 

 should describe as a combination of teaching him to 

 carry a man on his back and teaching him a good 

 many things he would be much better without. 



