116 THE PRACTICAL HORSE KEEPER. 



do this, no man can have what is termed good hands. When 

 the horse is going at a good half or three-quarter speed, and 

 nearing a fence, the rider should change the position of his 

 body from that of forward, to that of leaning slightly back- 

 ward, quickly but quietly, keeping a firm and steady hold of 

 the horse's head, and steadying him when he is about twenty 

 yards from the fence, again allowing the horse to put on more 

 pace as he approaches the jump, and always be on the look out 

 for a refusal or a blunder in jumping, and a " peck " on the 

 landing side. 



If the horse stumbles on to his knees and nose, and 

 blunders on for a stride or two, the utmost endeavour should 

 be made on the part of the rider to retain his seat, and this 

 may be done by inclining backwards and keeping the strongest 

 possible grip on the saddle from the thigh downwards, and a 

 quick and forcible pull at the horse's mouth, to help him, if 

 possible, in raising his head from the ground. 



Many people will, perhaps, disagree with this advice as to 

 trying to raise the horse's head ; but hard-riding horsemen 

 firmly believe that they have averted many a fall by timely 

 and judicious assistance with the reins, which, though hard to 

 explain, is held by them to be a practical fact, and is, there- 

 fore, pressed for adoption. 



When a horse falls in jumping, it is, as a rule, better policy 

 to try to retain the reins. If it is a very " ugly " fall, and the 

 horse rolls on to his rider, all that can be attempted is to try 

 and get out of the horse's way as quickly as possible, which 

 cannot always be accomplished ; but no part of a moment 

 should be lost in endeavouring to get hold of the reins the 

 instant the rider's feet are on the ground. 



The kind of obstacle the rider is about to meet will be his 

 chief guide as to the pace to maintain as he approaches it. If 

 it is a sound bank (an on and off), a good half-speed gallop ; if 

 it is a wall, a good " steadier " is, as a rule, required ; but if it 



