200 THE TURF 



places do ensure a certain amount of variety, and, 

 as will presently be noted in detail, courses are not 

 by any means all the same. At first the tendency 

 of the Committee was to make fences too easy, and 

 as it is an axiom that the easiest course is the most 

 dangerous — because horses are often run over them 

 when half schooled, and not only beginners, but 

 seasoned animals, will chance obstacles that do not 

 seem worth really rising at — the "open ditch," which 

 could scarcely be managed by an unschooled horse, 

 was introduced. This was a fence 4 ft. 6 in. high, 

 if of dead brushwood or gorse 2 ft. thick, with a ditch 

 on the taking-off side 6 ft. wide and 3 ft. deep. It 

 was nicknamed " the grave," and protests were raised 

 by a section of those interested in the sport, some 

 of whom, if riders, were not very bold, and if 

 trainers, were men who did not care about taking 

 very much trouble with their horses. There was, 

 however, some risk of horses blundering into the 

 cutting, either because they did not see just where 

 it began or because, knowing there was a ditch, 

 they took off too soon. A guard rail was therefore 

 put before the ditch ; and though a few complaints 

 about it are still occasionally heard, it is for the most 

 part approved. The obstacle which at present ap- 

 pears most open to criticism is the water jump — 

 1 2 ft. of water with a fence before it only 2 ft. 

 high. Many riders are of opinion that the fence 

 should be raised. Horses that have had little prac- 



