196 JUMPING. 



three lessons of about ten minutes' duration. When he has 

 full confidence, we may lunge him over the log, while 

 gradually getting further and further away from him. As 

 soon as he will walk over the bar, while the breaker stands in 

 the middle of the school, the bar can be raised from 12 to i6 

 inches, and the horse left to jump it in his own way. The 

 chief thing is that he clears it. This plan of accustoming a 

 horse to a fence, has been practised in circuses from time 

 immemorial. 



A horse which likes jumping will generally rush, and 

 should be calmed down, so that he may take the leap quietly. 

 If, on the contrary, he stops or hesitates, he should be 

 encouraged by the voice and should be shown the driving 

 whip, but should not be struck with it, or frightened at 

 starting. We should, however, make him go over the bar, 

 and should carefully note how he jumps. The best fencers 

 jump straight, freely, and without pausing. Some leap 

 " stickily," and others jump sideways. Horses which jump 

 freely and of their own accord need only be taught to 

 clear the fence, successively, at the walk, trot and canter. 



Horses which make a half halt when coming up to the 

 obstacle, should be stimulated by the driving whip until they 

 have lost the habit of stopping. Consequently, we should not 

 let them jump at the walk -and trot, until they will freely do 

 so, at the canter. 



Things are not much more complicated with horses that 

 jump sideways, and we have only to oppose their shoulders to 

 their haunches. If, for instance, we are on the left hand, and 

 the horse throws his hind quarters to the left, and con- 

 sequently to the inside, we should pull the lunging rein, in 

 order to bring his shoulders to the left, and at the same time 

 we should touch the left haunch with the lash of the whip, to 

 send the hind quarters to the right. If, on the contrary, the 

 horse brings his haunches to the right, that is to say to the 



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