54 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP 



wonderful accuracy the amount of effort that is 

 necessary to carry him over an obstacle. Just the 

 same way as we ourselves can gauge how much 

 effort is necessary for us to jump over a chair. 

 But the horse cannot judge the inefficiency of his 

 rider. If there is one rule I would like to give 

 all embryo horsemen, it would be, " Blame your- 

 self, don't blame the horse." Unless the rider 

 times the thrust very perfectly, then the tap 

 becomes a hit, and the accuracy of the jump is 

 an impossibility. 



When horses rap a rail is not because they are 

 careless, or because they like rapping them, but 

 very often because the rider is not in time with his 

 mount. It is a difficult art, and not even our best 

 riders can be certain of perfect accuracy every time ; 

 but once we understand what is wanted, then we can 

 assuredly improve much more quickly than if we 

 are groping in the dark, imcertain of what is really 

 required. 



Not long ago I was able to give a very practical 

 and pleasing demonstration of these principles, 

 an opportunity that occurs but seldom. I was 

 out hacking on a well-known jumping mare, and 

 on coming to a rail in a field, put her over it. To 

 my surprise she rapped it hard, and so I put her 

 at it three or four times. Each time she jumped 

 it badly. A friend of mine who was looking on 

 suggested that he should stand by the fence and 

 hit her as she was about to jump, but this I refused 

 to let him do. Now the ground was slightly 

 rising, and it had just occurred to me what might 



