1 4 INSTR UCTION IN FALLING 



in a second to get to the right or left of the falling 

 horse, and utilize the swing of the pace to free him 

 either to the front over his horse's head, or to the one 

 side or the other, as may be required. 



This practice begets a feeling of confidence which 

 enables a man to keep his wits about him when in the 

 most serious difficulties, and to coolly survey the fence 

 he is about to attempt. In the case of a slow fall, I 

 have been able many a time not only to avert injury 

 to myself, but also to my horse, especially when a ditch 

 has been dangerous and the bank as narrow as the 

 back of a knife. No fall over any description of fence 

 is so likely to damage a horse's back as one over these 

 deceptive narrow banks. Such banks often appear 

 sound, and broad enough for a horse to kick-back or 

 change his legs on them ; but very often they are 

 hollow, and worn away on the ditch side from the 

 floods, and the consequence is that if a horse trusts 

 to his kick-back to get him over, he must come to 

 grief, be he ever so good a bank-jumper. Even sup- 

 posing that he has what is termed * a leg to spare,' if 

 the rider is not off quick enough, the horse often sus- 

 tains injury by reason of the weight being suddenly 

 shifted on to his hind-quarters when the bank gives 

 way, and in this manner a strained or 'ricked' back 

 may take place without the rider being aware of it. 

 Many a good horse has thus broken its back at the 

 next fence. 



I would very strongly advise anyone who finds him- 

 self riding in a strange country, where the banks are 

 rotten, to watch the tactics of some good man in front 

 of him, who knows the country, and he will thus be 

 able to form a tolerable idea how to negotiate the 



