XXII 



JUMPING 



" She shortened her long stroke, she pricked her sharp ears, 



She flung it behind her with hardly a rap " 



Lindsay Gordon. 



TF a horse has had the advantage of a jumping- 

 lane education in early youth, a light-weight can 

 ride him over low obstacles at once, and very little 

 trouble will be found in turning him out as good a 

 fencer as his make and disposition will allow of, if 

 his mouth is not ill-treated during the process. 

 " Natural fencers " are often spoken of, but it may 

 be taken that such horses have jumped in early colt- 

 hood for pleasure, or, if they come from Ireland, 

 have learnt to do so for the purpose of getting from 

 field to field on a farm; the animal that has never 

 had any opportunity of practising fencing until he is 

 four or five years old requires schooling. I do not 

 agree with Whyte Melville that not one hunter in 



fifty really likes jumping, and believe that many 



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