84 HINTS ON HORSEMANSHIP 



will probably peck badly on landing. We must 

 indeed be bold horsemen to ride horses in this 

 manner over a big coimtry. Of course, the exact 

 opposite is the correct way. We should start 

 slowly, and increase our pace until the take off, 

 which should be the quickest stride of all, so as 

 to get the momentum necessary to carry us well 

 over into the next " parish." 



It is not generally realized that the fence is 

 jumped well or badly, according to the manner 

 the rider has his horse in hand, when twelve yards 

 away from the fence. It is here that the crucial 

 moment is. At this spot the horse should be in a 

 gentle canter, and under the complete control of 

 his rider. As the horse makes his next stride, 

 which should be quite a short one (two yards at 

 most) the rider then must make up his mind — 

 three strides and over. He gives the horse his 

 head slightly, and the stride is increased to two 

 and a half yards, again a little more head, and he 

 covers three yards; then with a little pressure of 

 the legs he covers three and a half yards his last 

 stride, collects himself, and jumps the fence when 

 six feet away from it, or just a nice distance for 

 making a good jump. Naturally, I do not mean 

 the distances I have just given to be taken too 

 literally, I merely give them to show my meaning ; 

 but nevertheless, for a good performance, these 

 distances would not be so far out. 



Let us look at diagram VIII for a moment. 



When the rider has reached position A, he has 

 to make his decision. His eye can see that three 



