VARIETIES OF THE HORSE. 45 



carrier may be pardoned even if tie be a little slow_, pro- 

 vided lie be sure ; but a light-weiglit horse wlio cannot 

 gallop is no good to anyone. 



In teaching young horses to jump, I am a strong 

 advocate for the leading rein to begin with. Beginning 

 with very trifling obstacles, he may gradually be led over 

 stronger and more awkward fences, but not until he knows 

 how to manage them. Falls discourage a young one. 

 Scrambles, where he recovers himself, do him good. A 

 regular turn-over is often a useful reminder to an old 

 horse who is growing careless or too clever ; but it gives 

 a colt a distaste for the amusement of jumping. In no. 

 case, however, must he be allowed to break any timber. 

 He should grow up, if possible, with the idea that all 

 rails are of adamantine strength and consistency. When 

 he is first ridden over any fences, he should have a lead 

 from an experienced horse, whom he will probably be 

 quite happy to follow. It is important that he should 

 not learn to refuse, and it is better to make him creep 

 through, or in and out of, a fence then to let him turn 

 away. When he will jump a little — and jumping in cold 

 blood must never be overdone — he may see the hounds, 

 being kept well out of their way, and he will be content 

 to follow the field of horses anywhere that he can. A 

 young horse ought to be taught " water '^ last of any- 

 thing, and he must have confidence in himself and his 

 rider before it is fair to ride him at it. It is the thing of all 

 others he is most likely to refuse, while it is most im- 

 portant that he should not do so. It is worth while to 

 arrange a ditch of running water for the instruction of a 

 promising colt. Many never see water till they come to 

 it in a run when half beat, and, with a horse refusing in 

 front of them, they probably take a dislike to the element 



