JUMPING. 



199 



rider. This is not quite true, because it is evident that the 

 animal cannot know what is in the mind of the man on his 

 back ; but he can feel that the " aids," like the will of the 

 rider, are hesitating. 



To make the horse resolute we should, in the first instance, 

 be resolute ourselves. If our pluck gives way, our "aids" will 

 be vacillating ; but if we harden our heart, we will transmit 



Fig. 46. — Clearing a fence. 



confidence to the horse by means of the '' aids," which, in 

 this case, should act with vigour and precision. 



The rider who goes up to a fence for the first time, usually 

 imagines that he will receive a terrible shock. As a rule, he 

 instinctively stiffens himself so as not to be displaced, and 

 when he falls off, the accident is generally due to this 

 stiffness. 



As I have already said, we should give with the hands at 



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