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the same leaps, commencing with the tree ; be patient and gentle, 

 using no more spur than is necessary to make him careful. 



A corres23ondent thus describes the bar used by him : — •'•' T took 

 the ti-unk of a tree, of a convenient height (selected from a pollard, 

 or some other kind valueless for timber), and well clothed with 

 gorse bound round with 'withy/ or green stews of hazel. The 

 side rails commenced from the ground, and were so made that a 

 leading rein would slip easily over them, as I always began my 

 lessons with a cavesson and rein, thus avoiding weight on the back. 

 The man got the colt well within the side rails to face the fence, and 

 walked on the outside himself. When a greater height was wanted 

 (by no means necessary) short faggots of gorse stood against the tree 

 supplied it, and the fence could be raised to any reasonable extent, 

 as they were bent more or less. I may state that for after practice 

 I had nearly every description of fence made on the same principle 

 (doubles and so forth), that horses could be led over or ridden when 

 they knew their business ; and so successful was the practice that 

 young ones in their first season carried me quite as safely, when 

 rightly handled, as made horses. As a hint anent riding at fences, 

 I may say that they always began with no bit in their mouths ; 

 and at the double — which consisted of two strong 'stake and 

 bounds/ with a wide ditch on both the rising and landing side, with 

 about six feet between the hedges — I always found that as soon as 

 they knew what it was, though allowed to go quite in their own way, 

 they raced at it full speed, but always doubled it, not one attempting 

 to take it at a fly, though it must have been well within their 

 powers, at any rate not over twenty feet." 



Another correspondent thus writes : — " Training an unspoilt horse 

 to jump is a very easy and quick process, but when once he has been 

 allowed to get a bad form, or has been made nervous by spur or 

 violent falls, the work is long and tedious and doubtful. I have 

 found the best system to be this : — Begin at a low stiff bar (fallen 

 tree or narrow dry wall is perhaps the best) in hand, standing ; 

 work him backwards and forwards quietly till he collects himself 

 and rises well up in front before springing ; then allow him to trot 

 round in hand. Pm^sue this course without more punishment than 

 is necessary to make him careful, till he will jump a common hurdle 

 in hand without nervousness or carelessness — i. e., till he gathers 

 himself together and gets well up on his trot. Then he may be 

 mounted, and taken over the lower jump ; but be satisfied with his 

 doing, in cold blood, low jumps in good form. By this system one 

 can make in a fortnight any promising young horse a much more 



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