THE POSITION OF THE BODY 55 



have been the possible trouble. I shortened my 

 stirrups one hole and then put her at the rail, and 

 she immediately cleared it with six inches to 

 spare. 



It was a great education to my friend, who 

 had not heard of such methods before, and, I 

 am glad to say, it made a deep impression upon 

 him. 



Let us consider for a moment what the reasons 

 were. I was jumping slightly uphill, so that it was 

 more difficult to throw one's body forward, and 

 consequently each time she rapped the rail she 

 had to carry the weight of my body (but only to 

 a certain extent, because I was not wholly back), 

 and so was unable to quite clear the obstacle. 

 But directly I shortened my stirrups I was able to 

 lean more forward, and then when the mare jumped 

 her loins were free, and she was able to clear the 

 obstacle in her own very beautiful style, with plenty 

 to spare. Now, I submit, that many men, who 

 have lived with horses all their lives, would, under 

 such circumstances, have blamed the horse, and 

 probably got out the whip and started punishment. 

 Here was, indeed, a great occasion for ocular 

 and practical demonstration. I was able to show 

 clearly and conclusively an instance where we 

 should first " pull the beam out of our own eye." 

 So once more I repeat, blame yourself first, before 

 you blame the horse. 



So far in this chapter I have only emphasized 

 the importance of the body being forward while 

 trotting, galloping and on the approach to the 



