30 Cross Country with Horse and Hound 



Hill Stud for getting hunters. It is safe to say that 

 although most of his descendants were similar in confor- 

 mation in this respect, no other thoroughbred stallion in 

 America has produced so many high-class cross-country 

 horses as this same stallion Barrett. So much for the 

 jumping. We must look further than simply the slant of 

 a hunter's shoulder. I am sorry to antagonise this most 

 common belief in slanting shoulders ; one dislikes to sow 

 seeds of discord among pet theories. But this slanting- 

 shoulder craze has gone beyond all reason. 



Let us see if we cannot find a better reason than because, 

 or speedy O'C jumping qualities. Let us see if we cannot set up 

 a hypothesis that will stand more of an assault than the 

 present theories for slanting shoulders. A little reflection 

 will prove that the proper position of a saddle on a horse 

 for cross-country work, where there is jumping to be done, 

 is one that places the rider well back, so that his weight 

 comes as near the centre of gravity as possible. Flat-ra- 

 cing and cross-country riding are things of entirely different 

 colour. The forward seat, over the horse's shoulders, — a 

 seat, in fact, where the position of a jockey lying along the 

 neck of his mount brings the rider's centre of gravity well 

 over, if not forward of, the fore legs of his mount, — has 

 been demonstrated beyond question to be the very best po- 

 sition under which a horse on the flat can extend him- 

 self. Doubtless a horse with the weight on the shoulders 

 makes the lift of the weight with the spring of the fore 

 legs, which leaves the hind legs and quarters to do the pro- 

 pelling with the least possible hindrance. On the other 

 hand, while a horse may be ridden with the centre of grav- 



