72 EQUITATION AND HOKSE TRAINING. 



High jumps. — Place a bar on the ground. Holding the 

 longe in one hand and the snaffle reins in the other, lead 

 the horse and step over the bar with him several times in 

 succession in both directions. When the horse no longer 

 shows hesitation, move away from him a little, put him 

 on a circle and make him cross the bar on the longe. 

 Later the bar is gradually raised. 



To give the lesson properly, it is necessary : 



(1) To let the horse assume, at a short distance from the 

 bar, whatever gait suits him, and immediately after he 

 jumps to make him resume the original gait of the circle. 



(2) To advance a step or two toward the obstacle and 

 to open the fingers, so that the longe may slip through the 

 hand while the horse is approaching his jump and will not 

 be too taut when he leaps; he must never be hampered, 

 but must have complete liberty. 



(3) To take up the horse on the longe again gently, re- 

 turn him to the circle and to the original gait. 



It is a good plan to practice the horse in jumping on 

 the longe at a walk before trying him at the trot and 

 gallop. At the walk the horse can best estimate the jump 

 and the amount of effort necessary to clear it ; at the walk 

 he also learns how best to assist himself with his head and 

 neck. Jumping at the other gaits then becomes less 

 difficult. 



Broad jumps. — The method of procedure and the 

 precautions to be taken are the same as for high jumps. 

 Begin with very easy ditches and progress to broader and 

 more difficult ones. The first time do not prevent the 

 horse from stopping to examine the ditch. He will feel 

 the ground, bring up his hind legs little by little, and 

 after much hesitation will finally clear the ditch. This 

 feeling for firm ground is allowed on the first trials only, 

 and as soon as the first apprehension has disappeared, 

 any halting in front of the obstacle must be energetically 

 corrected. Young horses are much more disposed to 

 hesitate at breadth than height. 



