CHAPTEE XII. 



TEACHING HOESES TO JUMP. 



THE great secret of "making" good jumpers, is to 

 begin early enough with them ; for, after a horse has 

 been thoroughly " broken," the sooner he is taught the 

 special work required in leaping, the. more accom- 

 plished fencer will he become. Too Good, the winner 

 of the Grand Steeplechase de Paris, as a four-year old, 

 and who was one of the cleverest performers " between 

 the flags " we have ever seen, received his name from 

 H.I.M. the Empress of Austria, on account of the 

 perfect manner in which he negotiated, as a two-year 

 old, the difficult country over which his trainer, Mr. 

 Linde, schools his cross-country animals. He was only 

 one of many instances of horses in Ireland, which is 

 the home of steeplechasing, having thoroughly mastered 

 the art of jumping, before they were three years old. 

 The action of the muscles of the hind quarters and 

 shoulders, in leaping, is so different to what it is in 

 galloping, thai; early instruction, so as to impart the 

 necessary knack, is of the greatest advantage. The 

 fact of getting over the obstacles safely, without losing 

 ground, is not sufficient for success ; for we often find 

 that the winner of a steeplechase fairly beats on his 

 merits others which could " lose " him on the flat, even 

 when they do not make a "mistake." That famous 



