140 ROAD, PARK, AND SCHOOL 



CHAPTER XVI. LEAPING. 



IT is no very difficult thing to teach a horse to leap 

 with calmness ; but if the rider uses whip and spur 

 whenever the horse is about to leap, the most docile 

 animal may become flighty, the most generous a 

 refuser. 



If a horse be given some of its usual lessons near 

 the leaping bar, until it is accustomed to the sight, 

 and is then led over it by the trainer preceding it 

 at the full extent of the reins without turning his 

 head to see if the horse follows him, the animal will 

 be ready to pass over it when being longed. The 

 bar may then be put up to the height of a foot or a 

 foot and a half, and the horse induced to leap it in 

 the longeing circles. After the horse will leap the 

 bar freely upon the longe, the trainer will correct 

 any faults in its jumping by holding the horse by 

 the snaffle reins as it leaps, and touching it with the 

 whip, lightly, below the knees, if he does not gather 

 the fore-legs closely, below the hocks if it does not 



