On Conditioning Hu7iters 261 



some other equally well-appreciated delicacy. 

 At the present time I have a two -year- old and 

 a three-year-old, own sisters, turned out in 

 two of my fields, which have become such 

 accomplished jumpers through these means 

 that, " hoist with my own petard," I can't 

 keep them into any field on the place ! I 

 don't fancy thei) will take much instructing 

 in their business when the time comes for 

 first riding them over fences. 



But assuming that a young horse — a four- 

 or five-year-old — which has not had the in- 

 estimable benefit of such early training, comes 

 into our hands, then in most cases it becomes 

 merely a question of time and patience with 

 him — and we cannot give too much of the 

 latter — in order to get him to jump kindly. 

 I say "jump kindly" advisedly, for assuredly 

 the horse that jumps unkindly is not, and pro- 

 bably never will be, a good hunter. When 

 teaching, we should carefully conceal the fact 

 that we are giving a lesson : there is nothing 

 a horse hates so much as the thought that he 

 is receiving one. Always let him think he is 



