6 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP 



centage of an ordinary hunting field are held up by 

 a simple post and rails because it doesn't look like 

 breaking ! How few would dare to jump a gate, 

 under the most favourable circumstances ! Even 

 our gallant " thrusters " whose exploits inspire 

 us with unbounded admiration, would be able to 

 perform still greater feats with less danger to them- 

 selves and their horses, did they study the art 

 and theory of horsemanship more. I would go 

 so far as to say that, with a thorough schooling of 

 both horse and rider, it is not courage so much 

 as experience and practice that is necessary for 

 cross-country riding. That ominous-looking post 

 and rails which fills all our hearts with terror when 

 riding an untrained horse, becomes most attractive 

 and inviting when one has complete confidence 

 both in oneself and one's horse. 



It is frequently remarked that show-ring jumpers 

 make a very bad exhibition when in the hunting 

 field. This fact is due, not to the reason that they 

 are show-ring horses, but because they have no 

 experience of natural cross-country work. It is 

 a matter that can be very easily rectified if one so 

 desires it, and when rectified there is no doubt 

 at all as to which is the safest mount, provided 

 always that they have been trained to jumping 

 on the right lines. A show-ring horse of my o\\ti 

 which had been trained to jumping off tan, always 

 stumbled very much when I first took her out 

 hunting. But this was cured in the course of a 

 very few days, when she realized the new con- 

 ditions. However this may be, it is not the 



