54 Modern Riding and Horse Education 



fessional and amateur jockeys negotiating every 

 class of fence on practically every steeplechase 

 course. 



It seems to me that if we hold to the instructions 

 of our fathers and throw the body behind the per- 

 pendicular on landing, we are acting as if a blunder 

 and not a clean jump were the rule in steeplechasing 

 and hunting. It may be argued that by doing so we 

 lighten the horse's forehand and thus help to save a 

 fall if he pecks, but on the other hand it reduces his 

 pace and makes interference with his head and neck 

 at a critical moment almost a certainty. This last 

 point will be fully discussed in the " Use and Mis- 

 use of the Hands." When the horse does blunder, 

 the body should be thrown back if possible, and the 

 same thing applies to stumbling. 



We now come to the case when leaning forward 

 is overdone for practical riding, which is at *' show 

 jumping." It is a common thing at a horse show to 

 see the English professional rider landing with his 

 chest touching the horse's neck (see Plate X), and 

 this is done to take the weight off the animal's quar- 

 ters and make him less likely to strike the obstacle 

 with his hind-legs. The practice is mechanically 



