FIRST-HAND BITS OF STABLE LORE 



and ride him away for a few hundred yards ; 

 every time he wants to go a certain direction, make 

 him go some other, or wait until he does. Just 

 sit there, that 's all ; he will give in and finally 

 have no mind of his own, once he finds it 's use- 

 less, and that the quickest way to get through is 

 to comply. Remember his mind only contains 

 one idea at a time, that he is foolish and timid ; 

 that he obeys, not because he wants to, but be- 

 cause you deceive him into thinking he can't 

 help himself. 



Once he has competently performed he needs 

 no more schooling, and it is surprising to find 

 how regularly every year many hunting men put 

 their horses through a " course of sprouts ** that 

 serves but to disgust them. All that is necessary is 

 to get the muscles used in jumping in order, and, 

 in our short drag hunts, preliminary jumping is 

 not called for, especially if there be a hill any- 

 where at hand — the longer the better — up 

 which horses can jog, trot, and canter (walking 

 down) for an hour or so daily. Nothing better 

 can be imagined for the purpose, and a hunter 

 that knows his business is all the more keen if he 

 never sees a fence from the last meet of our season 

 to the first of another. If any schooling is done 



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