REPETITION IN JUMPING. 273 



of a walled-in circle ; as in it the breaker could more easily 

 control the movements of the loose horse with the luneine 

 whip than if he were in a rectangular enclosure. The 

 whip should be employed to indicate to the animal what he 

 has got to do, or at most to stimulate him ; but in no way 

 to punish him. The horse intended for show-jumping 

 should have a good deal of practice at water ; for the judges 

 always attach much importance to the way in which the 

 competitors negotiate the '' brook." 



Time required to teach a horse to jump. — An 

 ordinary horse in good condition and of suitable confor- 

 mation can be taught in one or two lessons of three- 

 quarters of an hour's duration, to carry his rider over, say, a 

 three foot six hurdle or hedge, or a six foot ditch, in fair 

 style. But the teaching a horse to measure his distance 

 and to shorten or lengthen his stride, as may be required, on 

 coming up to a fence, is much more difficult ; for horses 

 greatly vary in *' cleverness." Although a month will be 

 sufficient to make some apt pupils perfect ; other animals 

 seem incapable of learning to keep their feet out of harm's 

 way. Long experience has proved to me that if a horse 

 is sound on his feet and legs, we run no risk of spoiling 

 his temper by jumping him over ten or a dozen fences 

 every day, or that number of times over the same obstacle ; 

 provided always that we don't pull his mouth about, and 

 that we don't irritate him with whip or spur. A horse 

 requires frequent practice to learn to jump ; and, after he 

 has acquired that accomplishment, to keep his muscles in 

 jumping order. 



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