LEAPING 123 



hands, for several reasons. It lessens the 

 chances of sitting crooked, and it pre- 

 vents throwing up the right arm as the 

 horse jumps — a common and unsightly 

 practice, calculated to frighten him and 

 distract his attention from his work, 

 and to jerk his mouth, while it has 

 no redeeming features. In addition to 

 this, when the horse lands, the reins are 

 not so liable to slip through two hands 

 as through one. 



Approaching the jump, the horse 

 should break into a moderate canter, 

 and the only rule his rider will be likely 

 to remember at the first trial will be to 

 " lean back as he jumps and give him 

 his head." As she becomes accustomed 

 to the action, her attention must be 

 called to details. While neanng the 

 jump, she must keep her hands low, and 

 just feel her horse's mouth with the 

 snaffle without interfering with it or 



