INTRODUCTION 3 



art of riding, and their knowledge is passed on to 

 succeeding generations, unquestioned and without 

 reserve. This method of obtaining knowledge 

 may be described as the acme of empiricism. 

 But theory and practice must go hand in hand. 

 Without study we merely emphasize and permanate 

 past errors, and no progress is possible so long as 

 we are satisfied wdth ourselves. As it is, the young 

 horseman is merely taught to ride to hounds in 

 such a manner that he can negotiate simple 

 obstacles, without danger to himself, his horse, 

 or other people, but further than that it does 

 not go. How many hunting men are willing 

 to be photographed when jumping? How many 

 understand the art of "putting" a horse at a 

 fence. They will admit that it is only sometimes 

 they can get a horse to jump a fence " off his 

 hocks," and that whether he does or not is largely 

 a matter of luck. As to being photographed in 

 the act of jumping, they universally agree that it 

 would only be on rare occasions they would be 

 able to survive the ordeal. Now this is obviously 

 too low a standard. A trained man on a trained 

 horse does not fear, but desires the camera. 



Speaking personally, I have been able to check 

 many unnoticed faults by this means, and I know 

 no better way of learning mistakes, and of studying 

 attitude. In reference to the camera, most of 

 us have photographs of our friends taken on 

 horseback. They have placed themselves in the 

 saddle in what they consider the most approved 

 position, and are generally endeavouring to " look 



