Water 



12 RIDING TO HOUNDS 



the loose strands with your feet, while 

 your horse steps out of them. 



In approaching a water jump, the im- 

 portant thing is to choose firm ground on 

 which to "take off" and land. Unlike a 

 high jump, it should be taken at full or, 

 nearly full speed, in order to carry you 

 across. I think it is Whyte Melville who 

 pointed out that if the hounds try to take 

 a stream in their stride, whether they fail 

 or not, you are safe in attempting to jump 

 it, but if the hounds stop at the brink, and 

 wade in, you want to look out. On enter- 

 ing a river give your horse plenty of rein; 

 to pull in his head may cause him to roll 

 over, as his footing is necessarily precari- 

 ous, when his body is supported by the 

 water. If forced to swim leave his head 

 entirely alone. 



In negotiating steep banks and hillsides. 

 Banks always point your horse straight down the 



incline. This is partly for the same rea- 

 son that you cross a fence at a right angle, 

 and also because in going down hill, a 

 horse can slide on his haunches, bringing 



