192 HACKS AND HUNTERS 



After completing the course, see that your horse is 

 kept moving to prevent his catching cold. If he is 

 to show in many classes, dismount and rest him as 

 much as possible, and if there is sufficient time before 

 you expect to be called back into the ring, loosen his 

 girth and balance strap. Under no circumstance allow 

 your groom to let him remain motionless, for he will 

 get cold and stiff, and if required to "jump off" will 

 not be able to do his best. 



If your horse is called in to be judged on conforma- 

 tion, remove not only the saddle but also the breast- 

 plate or martingale (do not merely knot the latter up, 

 as it is not an adornment). Lead your horse into the 

 ring yourself and see that he is standing squarely on 

 all four feet and is alert and wide-awake when the 

 judges are looking at him, but do not allow your groom 

 to "ginger" him, unless you know that it will not 

 upset his temper, and do not under any circumstances 

 "spread" him when standing. 



If you have made a fairly good performance and 

 your number is nevertheless not called, do not make 

 the mistake of being too hasty in sending your horse 

 home to his stable. I have seen mistakes occur and 

 a horse called for who had already been sent away 

 from the show grounds. 



If you are unfortunate enough to make a bad per- 

 formance, many well-meaning friends will undoubtedly 

 deluge you with advice as to how you should have 

 ridden your horse in order to win: you went too slow 

 or too fast, and so on and so forth. My advice is not 

 to pay any attention to them; it is very easy to ride 

 a horse from the ground and very difficult to get up 

 and do the trick, and the only advice worth listening 

 to is that from some thoroughly experienced horse- 



