184 STABLE MANUAL AND HORSE DOCTOR 



Park Paling is an ugly kind of timber to take, from the 

 zigzag forks at the head of the pales occasionally locking 

 the hinder foot, where it is strong enough not to fly before 

 the blow. Double posts and rails, where too yawning for 

 a clearance, must be taken " in and out," or " on and off" ; at 

 this, some Irish jumpers are very clever. Where there is a 

 bank, most English hunters lift themselves on to it, then, 

 dwelling a moment, extricate their fore legs and drop into the 

 next field, with just spring enough to clear a ditch if there 

 be one. Double hurdles are an identical jump. Be careful 

 to "give the horse his head" in rising, and in his second 

 spring, feeling his mouth and lifting him when he touches 

 ground. 



Sheep Hurdles are generally too weak to occasion a fall, 

 and may, therefore, be "rode at anyhow," as we have 

 heard it expressed. They are a good means of teaching 

 the colt, and impressing on " the young idea " how to 

 jump. Three feet to three feet six is their usual height. 



Water Jumping. — In going at a brook, take hold of your 

 horse well, and ride him at a good striding pace straight at 

 it ; choosing as good a '' take off" and sound " landing " as 

 possible. A horse to be good at brooks must be practised 

 at smallish ones at first, which he must take in his stride 

 at the three-quarter gallop. Few horses take water jumps 

 kindly unless early instructed. A wide, low-banked brook, 

 if fordable, should be so taken. Strains and overreach are 

 often the result of the other practice, to say nothing of a 

 rotten bank and a return by rolling over. It is superfluous 

 to say that an overreach spoils your sport for the day ; and 

 that if you cram your horse at a water jump he will not 

 take, he may either stop dead — in which case it is fortunate 

 if you do not first taste the quality and sound the depth o'' 

 the ditch, and so afford mirth to the field — or, if you havft 

 him not well " felt by both reins," he will swerve to right 

 or left, and carry you a circuitous bend homewards ; to 

 repeat the gyration as many times as you bring him up to 

 the leap. 



Falling.— ThQ author of " The Horse and the Hound " 

 tells you " how to fall from your horse '' ; and quaint as is 

 the precept, it is well worth study, as "falls," like " offences," 

 needs must come. In all falls, the horseman should roll 

 away from his horse as soon as he possibly can, lest in his 

 struggle to rise again he strike him with his legs or head 



