RIDING AND TRAINING. 14! 



gather the hind-legs well under the body, as those 

 limbs are bending for the jump. 



The horse may then be ridden from a walk over 

 the bar, the rider collecting it as it approaches the 

 leap, so that it will have control of all its powers. 

 As the horse rises the rider will press his legs 

 against its sides, and as it alights he will give it a 

 light support with the snaffle bit. The horse should 

 not be aided by the hand to rise to the leap, as that 

 will induce the bad habit of depending upon the 

 rider for the hint where to take off, and in a flying 

 leap might bring about a serious disaster. But the 

 horse should be brought to the leap well collected, 

 and it should then need no aid from the hand. 

 After the horse will jump, freely but quietly, from 

 the walk, it may in the same way be made to take 

 the leap from the trot and the gallop, and finally 

 from the halt. The animal should not be discour- 

 aged by demanding too much from it, either in the 

 number or height of the jumps, and the lesson should 

 always end with a perfectly performed leap, which 

 should be rewarded. Whenever the horse grows 

 careless it should be put back to the lessons in hand. 

 Neither whip nor spur should be used in leaping, 

 beyond a light tap of the former if the horse fails 

 to gather the hind-legs well under the body. In 

 leaping the horse should rise well, taking the weight 



