186 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



it was in itself, would put him out of the running. 

 Above all, in preparing for a show, don't let any one 

 but the regular groom hack him, and he should prefer- 

 ably only be hunted or schooled by the person intend- 

 ing to show him. 



The schooling of an absolutely green horse should, 

 of course, begin many many months prior to his d6but. 

 For the moment, however, we will merely discuss pre- 

 paring for a show a horse who has already learned the 

 A B C of jumping, or one who is possibly a qualified 

 hunter. If the latter, he has to be gotten used to 

 "made" fences, and must be taught that turning at 

 a fence means business, and that slovenly jumping 

 and "ticking" will not be allowed. 



Begin three or four weeks before the show; take 

 your prospective show horse and lark him over a few 

 three-feet-six-inch fences, or use him cub-hunting a 

 couple of times. Vary this with an occasional jump in 

 the schooling ground,* say twice a week, and for the 

 first week keep the fences as low as three feet six inches 

 and jump him only once or at most twice at a time 

 round a course of eight jumps. As the day of the show 

 approaches the bars may gradually be raised higher. 



For five-foot classes, or triple-bar jumpsf special 

 practice may be required, but as a general rule four 



* When possible, the schooling ground or paddock should not be 

 near the stables, for if they are, horses are far more apt to sulk and 

 turn sour. If feasible, try and find out what sort of jumps are going 

 to be erected at the forthcoming show, and then put up a few of thia 

 kind, temporarily, in order to accustom your horse to them. 



f A great deal of schooling over the triple bar is inadvisable as it is 

 inclined to make a horse extend himself too much. The same may be 

 said of excessive practice over broad jumps. In fact, I have found that 

 in the case of the Grafton Broad jump, composed of cardboard boxes, 

 a free-going bold jumper will be more inclined to clear them well, be- 

 fore he has had too much opportunity to become familiar with them, 

 and to realize that it does not hurt to jump into them. 



