2i8 TRAINING IN INDIA 



Such a wall is quite formidable enough without having 

 any drain in front of it. An obstacle like this should on 

 no account be topped with brushwood or other covering ; 

 for if this be done the horse will be very liable to chance 

 the fence on account of the false impression its appearance 

 is likely to give him. I have seen most regrettable 

 accidents occur from horses being thus culpably misled by 

 constructors of steeplechase courses. The stiffer a jump 

 looks, the more likely is the animal to be careful when 

 negotiating it. 



5. Posts and rails, which may be made 3 ft. 6 in. high. 

 I have always insisted that the top bar should be made 

 very thick, so as to plainly show the horses that they 

 cannot chance it successfully. I think it is best to leave 

 the post and rails unbushed. 



The water-jump may be about 13 ft. broad, and may 

 have a small hedge or bushed fence about 2 ft. high 

 in front of it. It need not be more than 2 ft. deep. Its 

 far side should slope up at an angle of about thirty degrees. 

 Long ago water-jumps with straight-cut sides used to be a 

 prolific cause of broken backs among steeplechase horses. 



It frequently happens that, on filling an artificial 

 water-jump, the water soaks through the soil, and renders 

 the landing so soft, that a horse jumping on to it at speed 

 would probably come down. Such a contingency may be 

 obviated by putting down a few rows of kurbee or reeds, and 

 covering them over with earth, so as to form a firm place 

 for the horse to alight on. 



7. An Irish bank, which may be 3 ft. 6 in. high, 6 ft. 

 broad on the top, and may have sides sloping down at an 

 angle of about forty-five degrees, with ditches of about 3 ft. 



