-60- 



I always think a great deal of nonsense is talked 

 (I speak, of course, as a light -weight ) about ' Lng 

 *ses at drops. If you cone to a f- ' Lg flying 



fence with a drop on the landing side, then of course 

 there is a jar, and you cannot collect your horse too 

 carefully or lie too far hack in your le as you 

 land. Remember it is very little use lying back in 

 your saddle if you stick your feet out in front of 

 you: as you lie back they must be bac too, or 

 all the jar comes into your stirrups. If at such a 

 fence, as. your horse almost ;ers from the shock 

 of lam 5 , you j< ell on to his neck or he 



to your thrust-forward stirrups, you are of con- 

 siderab] istance in toppling " over, or at the 

 best adding to the .jar a: risl of injury. 



Lut in jumping a clover horse down into a deep 

 lane or such-like place, there is very little risk of 

 hurtin ; hi or of a fall. 4 - such places the fence is 

 often weak and you c ill your horse into it and and 

 then drop hi I have had some horses that seemed 



to have the knack of landing as lightly as a bird, and 

 they were always ready to jump down any reasonab 

 height, clear proof that it did hot .jar them. Vith a 

 horse that gets nervous and makes a Lid, hurriei ju , 

 it is altogether another matter. It is, I thinl , at 

 such places that the man who "makes" his own horses an 

 rides them too, in mild bits, has an ;e. 



fore leaving the subject of ri iing to hounds, 

 one word on "bucking," or "s " ;," as it is now 

 called. Believe me, it is best n lone. It is 

 so fatally eas:^ to talk about your horse and his 

 wonderful powers, and incidentally to it a 



derful rider he has, but con't do it. I really 

 think men in the hunting field are more correctly 

 reckoned up tl. here else. If you go well you 

 11 get the credit L1 out a ' 'or it. 



len I have noted who have been underestimated are 

 the very one- who are always explainir 

 go. I don't deny for a re are so 



ood o "swank", but I am sure all their 

 real friends wish they wouldn't. 



