HORSES TO JUMP 93 



fore-legs if the head be raised from a vertical 

 position to a higher one at which the front of 

 the face makes an angle of 45 degrees with the 

 ground. The horse standing normally with a 

 rider on his back will have 66 per cent, of the 

 rider's weight on the fore-limbs and only 34 per 

 cent, on the hind-limbs. Obviously, if the 

 fore-limbs are relieved of some of this excessive 

 weight they will last longer. This can be done 

 by putting the horse's back on their hocks in 

 moderation. 



At slow paces, walk, trot and canter, the horse 

 can be taught to move with his head carried high 

 and bent at the poll, while the hocks are kept 

 well under him to assist in carrying the weight. 

 It is worse than useless to raise the head and 

 let the hocks go farther back instead of being 

 well under the horse. The placing of the head 

 has been shortly explained in ''Bits"; the 

 keeping of the hocks under the horse is done 

 by the rider's legs, with which the horse is 

 pressed well up to his bridle during the process 

 of placing the head. 



Horses will keep sounder on their fore-limbs 

 if they are taught to keep their weight well 

 back on the hocks, but of course this is im- 

 possible at fast paces, when the weight must 

 be brought forward to gain impetus. 



