246 THE COMPLETE HORSEMAN 



but this is just what you have not to do. The 

 dimensions of the dry ditch as given in the National 

 Hunt Rules are as follows : The ditch at the 

 taking off side of the fence shall be 6 ft. wide 

 and 2 ft. deep and it may be left open or 

 guarded by a single rail, by a bank and rail, or by 

 a bank only, not exceeding 2 ft. in height, 

 and the fence must not be less than 4 ft. 6 ins. 

 high and if of dead brushwood or gorse it 

 must be 2 ft. wide. This sounds sufficiently 

 formidable but it is not so bad as it looks, and 

 after the rider has jumped it a few times he will 

 get into the way of thinking that if his horse 

 gets up well at the guard rail he will clear the lot 

 easily enough. 



In making this fence for schooling purposes 

 it is better to have the guard rail in some form or 

 other because this is what will be met with on 

 most steeplechase courses. The ditch should be 

 made the regulation width and the fence to 

 begin with had better not be higher than 3 ft. 6 in. 

 but should be the regulation width so that the 

 horse may see the necessity of rising at it. Simi- 

 larly I would not have the water jump more 

 than 8 ft. wide to begin with. When a horse has 

 got thoroughly used to taking these jumps in his 

 stride the size of them can be increased and after 

 a few weeks of careful practice he will be found 

 in most instances clever enough. On this subject 

 Col. Meysey Thompson than whom few have 

 had a wider experience has the following words 

 of wisdom : — 



