246 A HUNTING CATECHISM 



to make his effort under favourable circumstances. 

 If a horse catches hold of his bit, and goes with his 

 head on one side when put at a fence, slacken the 

 reins altogether for two or three strides till he 

 has straightened his head, and then catch hold 

 of him again, as otherwise he will jump on one 

 side of the selected spot, and may come to grief. 



Q. What should be the guide in adjusting the 

 length of the stirrups ? 



A. The length of the stirrups for a man 

 depends upon the conformation of each horse 

 more or less, for the stirrups will require to be 

 let out or taken up a hole or two, according as 

 the animal is wide or narrow between the knees ; 

 while the same animal may require the stirrups 

 to be altered at different periods, on account of it 

 being fat or thin in condition. 



When about to mount, a good rough guide 

 to the right length is to place the tips of the 

 fingers against the stirrup bar, and then adjust 

 the leather so that the bottom of the stirrup just 

 touches the armpit when the arm is at full stretch. 

 Though it may be necessary to alter the length a 

 hole afterwards, it is at any rate certain that this 

 length will allow of an excellent firm seat, which 

 may be of much value in the case of a very fresh 

 horse. Gentlemen fall into the habit of using 

 faulty lengths, probably from being started in 

 boyhood on a quiet pony that can be ridden any- 

 how, and also from no one being careful to see at 

 the very beginning that the child's stirrups are a 

 workmanlike length ; a habit once formed is very 

 difficult to alter. 



Almost all professionals, such as whips and 

 huntsmen, and also horse-breakers, ride with the 



