6o HORSES 



country is to do it in the style that gives satisfaction 

 both to yourself and your horse. Any one who is 

 bold enough can get over the fence somehow, but 

 it requires a good horseman to sail over the fence 

 in that smooth and easy style which is the poetry 

 of riding. You who are a beginner cannot hope 

 to attain this perfection at the start, but do not 

 be satisfied with slovenly methods, and strive by 

 degrees to reach the higher standard. 



The man with bad hands can never be in sym- 

 pathy with his horse : hands and horse are for ever 

 fighting against each other. Watch a really good 

 horseman riding over a country and you will ap- 

 preciate what I mean. Hounds are running, and 

 our friend whom w^e have selected as an example 

 has secured a good start. The horse has previously 

 been the mount of a bad rider, and remembering 

 the last occasion, dashes off at full speed, and with 

 his head between his knees, endeavours to avoid the 

 pain of an expected drag on the bars of his mouth. 

 The snaffle worked to and fro quickly brings up his 

 head into its natural place, and finding nothing hurts 

 him in that position, is content to leave it there. 

 The first fence now looms in sight, and the horse 

 knows at once, by the mysterious feel of his rider's 

 legs, which spot he will require to jump. When 

 within some fifty yards of the fence, and mindful of 

 previous occasions, he will increase his pace and 

 lean heavily on the bit, but his onward career will 

 suddenly be checked by the application of the 

 curb, which hitherto had not troubled him. This 



