How TO Gallop. 293 



A hundred years ago all fox-hunters stood up in their stirrups ; in the first quarter of 

 tliis century the English horseman who did not adopt the Jiautc ecole style rode on the road 

 and in the field in a stupid imitation of the jockey style. It was in reference to these mis- 

 taken souls that " Nimrod," the great reformer of the hunting world, said about galloping, 

 " Sit down in your saddle ; don't stand up and stick out your hind-quarters as if they did 

 not belong to you." You still see a good many men, some fair horsemen, lean unnecessarily 

 forward, but that is not the style of Seffert, or Rice, or Frederick Allen, or the Darbys of 

 Rugby, father and son, or of the most famous Master of the Rufford (see coloured plate), or 

 his brother officer in the 9th Lancers and sometime Master of the Pytchley ; or, to hark 

 farther back again, of that most finished horseman, for twenty years Huntsman of the Royal 

 Buckhounds, Charles Davis, whose portrait is given in the chapter on Hunting. 



With the shoulders well back, the double reins held in both hands, or, if the horse can be 

 trusted, the snaffle reins only, and the curb reins, knotted or buckled, not too short, hanging 

 loosely on his neck ready for any emergency, the rider gives and takes with every stride ; holding 

 his hands low, and making his elbow-joints hinges, he avoids the rigid pull which deadens a 

 horse's mouth. Thus he swings along in a sort of delicious dream, fully occupied with his 

 horse, the pace too good for conversation. 



The points to be a'med at are a firm seat, as motionless as possible below, while the trunk 

 above gently gives to the horse's motion, and hands so holding the reins as to be able to per- 

 fectly control and rapidly to arrest the pace. These essential points can only be attained by 

 practice on high-couraged horses in open fields or downs. 



Without practice, the pupil who has acquired all the arts that can be taught within the 

 walls of a school — and they are many and valuable — would find himself perfectly helpless 

 if called upon to gallop on the best-trained Leicestershire hunter ; for it is not enough to be 

 able to stick oft — the pupil must learn to guide, to turn, and to stop an excited horse. 



The first lessons in galloping should always be given on horses with good mouths, and 

 capable of being pulled up without difficulty. 



It has already been observed that some most docile road hacks become almost delirious 

 with excitement when galloping in company with other horses over elastic turf. Indeed, 

 the first change from macadam to grass seems to have a champagne-like eff"ect on young well- 

 bred horses. 



Over ridge and furrow it is not a bad plan to stand up in the stirrups, and so avoid 

 repeated shocks ; but this feat must not be attempted until the rider can stand upright with- 

 out relying on the snaffle reins for support, without, as the saying is, " riding on his horse's 

 head." 



A fine firm feeling of the horse's mouth is as important in galloping, if not more important, 

 than in other paces, in order to provide for unexpected obstacles or breaks in the ground. The 

 best pace cannot be got out of a horse without holding him together. Victor Hugo's description 

 of a charge of cavalry at Waterloo, "the horses first deprived of their curb-chains," is simple 

 nonsense; and so is the poetical phrase of "loose reins and spur in flank" — he who looses his 

 reins and spurs his steed will very soon come to grief. 



When a pupil can gallop with confidence over flat ground, ho should practise riding down 

 hill, which, with a horse whose fore-hand is properly set on, is much safer than it looks ; as- 

 long as the horse is kept straight he cannot be too lightly held. If not held straight he is 

 likely to cross his legs, and then a terrific fall is certain. But on holding ground horses gallop 

 safely down hill, because, if they have courage, they get their hind-legs well under them. 



