Schooling Hunters 63 



him walk or trot up to all the jumps and drop to a walk 

 immediately after. One desires anything but a rusher in 

 the hunting-field. Horses without confidence in themselves 

 invariably rush their fences. With some horses jumping 

 never becomes more than a sort of neck-or-nothing adven- 

 ture, and half-schooled horses, nervous horses, and fright- 

 ened horses rush. Sometimes, too, it is because these con- 

 ditions, one or all of them, are present in the rider. 



Your colt so far has never refused. There comes a 

 trial of your judgment and horsemanship when a friend or 

 a customer rides up just as you are jogging out with slack 

 rein and snaffle-bit for the daily baby jumping exercise, and 

 the temptation assails you to show off your colt. But let 

 your visitor go home thinking you are afraid to put him 

 at anything over three feet. Bide your time. 



Next fall, when he is four past, take him up. Early in 

 July have him shod and begin again at the easy jumps, 

 sometimes alone, sometimes in company, with now and 

 then a bit of a canter, slowing down to and after your 

 fences. If you can occasionally take him out with hounds 

 when they are going for exercise, do so. Of course you 

 will always ride him at his fences in a way that puts reso- 

 lution into the action. You settle down firmly in the 

 saddle, giving him to understand by the pressure of your 

 legs that you are ready. Of course you could go over such 

 a jump without all this, but you must keep in mind his 

 future. 



When you settle into the pigskins with a grip of your 

 legs, it says to your colt that you see the obstacle and are 

 prepared to take it with him. You never have deceived 



