THE HURDLE RACER. 271 



with one or more horses, he ought, according to the argu- 

 ment given, to take the position of leader ; and not until he 

 has been found to be fully capable of acting independently, 

 should the other horse or horses be brought alongside of 

 him, or taken in front. I need hardly point out that it is 

 far easier. to fix the attention of the horse on his work when 

 he is alone, than when he is under the distracting influences 

 of '' company." 



The hurdle racer should be taught to take his fences 

 at racing speed with only just sufficient collection at the 

 three foot six or three foot nine obstacles to make him 

 clear them, even if he " chances " them a little. I may point 

 out that, no matter how clever a horse may be at " timber- 

 topping," it is impossible for him to clear a hurdle in his 

 stride ; for the period of suspension of the gallop (see 

 Points of the Horse) is far too brief to allow this to be 

 done. For his particular kind of work, he has, just as 

 much as the hunter or chaser, to be taught to jump, but 

 in a different style ; the chief requirements of which are 

 to leap quickly, to avoid jumping too high, and to get away 

 again with the least possible delay. The directions which 

 have been already given in this chapter, will point out how 

 the necessaiy instruction may be imparted. 



The show-jumper. — The subject of show-jumping is 

 a difficult one to approach ; for the judging at one place is 

 often conducted under totally different principles to those 

 at another exhibition. Speaking generally, I think I may 

 say that the chief requirement of the show-jumper is to be 



