262 . JUMPING. 



before. When the breaker finds that the animal jumps as 

 well with the man in the saddle as he did without him, he 

 may take off the long reins, put on the ordinary ones, and 

 hand them to the rider, who should then take the horse 

 over the fences as before ; the breaker using the crack of 

 the whip, as a stimulus, if required. The rider should not 

 be given spurs, unless he is a fine horseman, and unless the 

 horse requires them to make him more lively ; but not as a 

 means for overcoming any reluctance he may have to 

 jumping, which should be accomplished in the manner I 

 have laid down. 



I need hardly say that a horse should not be jumped if 

 he is at all sore on his legs or feet. 



One great advantage, among many others, of teaching a 

 horse to jump in the way I have detailed is that, by circling 

 and turning the animal in front of the fences, we can cure 

 him of all impetuosity caused by their proximity, and at 

 the same time make him willing to jump, with thorough 

 light-heartedness, the moment he receives the indication 

 from the rein to go straight and to clear the obstacle. We 

 can easily understand that such training is particularly 

 valuable for the hunter. 



After the animal has learned all we can teach him in the 

 breaking field, he should be schooled over a *' natural " 

 country ; and after he has learned to take his own '* line " 

 and jump cleverly in " cold blood," he may be considered 

 qualified to go in "company." 



The snaffle (an unjointed one for preference, see 

 page 184) should be the only bit used with the jumper 

 — whether hunter, chaser, or trooper — when riding him 



