1 14 Horse and Man. 



five-barred gate is about three feet nine inches ; 

 and a horse must therefore, in order to clear 

 an average five-barred gate with perfect safety, 

 jump about four feet from the ground. Now 

 I believe I speak within compass when I say 

 that the steadiest horse will seldom, in leap- 

 ing at the gallop, take off at a distance from 

 his fence less than double its height. And 

 therefore every horse which gallops at a five- 

 barred gate must do so with the knowledge 

 that, if he fails to clear at least sixteen feet in 

 his stride, he is pretty sure to get a very 

 violent fall. 



Now look at the alternative. No horse, 

 however deep chested, stands higher from 

 his brisket to his withers than from the 

 ground to his brisket. A horse of fifteen 

 hands will therefore, when standing on all 

 four feet, show at least thirty inches of day- 

 light under his brisket, and can consequently, 

 allowing him a few inches for gathering up 

 his legs, step without raising his body over a 

 fence full two feet high. A horse of fifteen 

 hands is thus sure of clearing a five-barred 

 gate by a standing jump, if he can but throw 

 his croup two feet in the air and at the same 



