The Horse, as Comrade and Friend 



four year olds, the teaching of jumping in hand 

 is the best way, for their bones, tendons and 

 muscles are not yet at their best to take the 

 heavy strains involved, and by jumping them 

 without a rider the strains are much less ; 

 moreover, their judgment as to taking off and 

 landing is entirely unfettered. 



Training for jumping is an art in itself, and 

 this chapter cannot pretend to a full treat- 

 ment of the subject ; only to touch lightly 

 upon those basic principles on which success 

 depends, and each reader, if he is so disposed, 

 can adapt these principles to his own specific 

 requirements. For a jump in hand, the 

 requirements as to paraphernalia are the 

 ordinary two vertical posts, with holes and 

 pegs for the horizontal bar, plus smooth guide 

 bars on each of the wings running from the 

 ground to the very top of the posts at an angle 

 of 25° from the horizontal. The object of 

 these guide bars is to allow the leading rein on 

 striking them to slide right up and over the 

 top of the posts without any possibility of the 

 rein catching in anything that would put a 

 jerk on the pony's head at the moment of 

 approaching, rising and clearing the bar. If 

 there is a double jump, the guide rails for the 

 leading rein must be carried on from the tops 

 of the first two vertical posts to the tops of the 

 second pair of vertical posts, to clear them 

 also. The guide rails should dip between the 



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