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CHAPTER X. 



JUMPING. 



Probably the best system of teaching a colt to 

 jump is to take a single bar — a young fir tree that 

 he cannot easily break is most suitable — and it should 

 be fixed so that if he strike it he cannot knock it 

 down. When the bar is easily knocked down the 

 colt grows careless and is not induced to make his 

 best effort. The bar should also be tightly wrapped 

 with furze, the prickles of which induce him to pull 

 his legs higher up, and he will be less likely to injure 

 his pastern joints than on coming in contact with 

 the bare bar. It should not be placed too high at 

 first, and its height should be gradually increased 

 each day in proportion to the jumping capacity of 

 the colt. One end of the bar should be securely fixed 

 into a hedge or wall which will prevent the colt shying 

 past the end, and the trainer can prevent him shying 

 past the other end by standing well forward. The 

 post at the open end of the bar should have a sloping 

 rail running up from the ground on either side of 

 it which will carry the rein over without its getting 

 entangled on the post (Fig. 13). The colt should 



