126 HOESE MANAGEMENT IN INDIA. 



lessons. I generally ride an old hunter out with the 

 young one, and take a few easy fences, while the groom 

 follows, leading the pupil with a long rein and cavesson. 

 As a rale, the young one readily follows the other, 

 especially if they have been companions at exercise. 

 For the first few trials, a man with a whip may go 

 behind the youngster and crack it after him ; but he 

 should seldom do more than give him a slight touch 

 on the quarters if he does not go over freely. If a 

 young horse is punished severely in his early lessons, 

 he will for ever remember it, and will, probably, learn 

 to refuse ; from associating in his mind the cruelty he 

 suffered, with the sight of a fence. I seldom make the 

 animal jump the same fence more than once ; then, 

 move on to another, and so on. By varying the 

 exercise, the young one will be induced to take pleasure 

 in his work, which he will generally do, if treated 

 kindly, though firmly. After a very few lessons, the 

 colt may be ridden over his fences ; but he should, 

 always, until he is fairly proficient, have a steady true 

 jumper to give him a lead. When a young horse is 

 handy at his fences, the sooner he is schooled with 

 hounds the better ; for there is nothing that makes a 

 horse jump with such freedom and goodwill, as follow- 

 ing them. A short time ago, after teaching a colt of 

 mine a half brother to Cosmos to jump, I put a 

 stable lad on him and took him to the Wards. At the 

 very first fence, the crowd, at the only practicable spot, 

 shut him out ; and as the hounds were soon out of 

 sight, he lagged behind, and I saw no more of him 

 until I went home. The boy then told me that he had 

 turned back, as he was not able to get over the big 



