MANNERING HUNTERS 17 



before I attempt to 'condition him.' This should be 

 followed by plenty of exercise, both at a walk and 

 a canter, daily, for at least two months before the first 

 advertised meet. Cub-hunting is most useful for the 

 purpose of getting horses, young ones especially, into 

 order, but on no account should young horses be 

 taken into a crowd before their jumping education is 

 completed. It is most unwise to attempt to educate 

 horses over fences where their full attention cannot be 

 secured, and this is not likely to be the case when there 

 are other horses galloping, and knocking about, and 

 refusing. All jumping education must be carried out 

 as quietly as possible, and I do not consider that the 

 hunting-field is at any time the proper place for such 

 instruction. Cub-hunting is an excellent opportunity 

 for teaching a horse manners and for getting him into 

 condition, nor can there be any better mode of effecting 

 these, unless the owner may happen to possess a pack 

 of beagles or small harriers, which he can use privately 

 and without drawing a crowd of people after them. 

 The training and exercise so gained for the horse will 

 not be without its advantages to the owner also, for he 

 himself will be also getting Into the condition which it 

 is necessary for him to attain if he would do justice to 

 himself and his horses- 



I think I may safely assert that by far the greater 

 number of accidents are caused through the fault of 

 the rider rather than the horse. As a rule men are 

 prone to ride a deal too fast at their fences, and this 

 style of rushing does not give a horse time to collect 

 himself, and the result is that he over-jumps, and 

 getting soon 'pumped out,' comes to grief. Now, 

 there is no necessity to ride over-fast at fences, for 



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