112 LEAPING. 



that it does not prevent him from *' collecting " himself 

 properly), influences the width he can clear; because (as 

 we have seen on p. 49) the force by which he is projected 

 forward into the air is equal to the force of propulsion 

 derived from his limbs, plus the impetus due to the speed 

 at which he is going. The greater this impetus, the lower 

 will be the *' angle of elevation" at which the centre of 

 gravity of the body is propelled forward. 



We may, with approximate accuracy, define the '* angle 

 of elevation'' as the angle which a line passing through 

 the centre of gravity and a point midway between the 

 prints of the two hind feet, makes with the horizontal 

 plane, at the moment when the body leaves the ground. 



Looking at the subject from a hasty point of view, 

 those of us who have not had practical experience, might 

 come to the conclusion that a horse would jump height as 

 well when going fast as when going slow, and that the 

 only difference is that, in the former case, the animal would 

 be obliged to take off further from the fence than in the 

 latter. This supposition, however, does not hold good ; 

 for the faster the pace, the more weight is thrown on the 

 fore hand, and the greater difficulty will the leading fore leg 

 have in raising the fore hand off the ground. Hence, even 

 without the valuable experience of the hunting field and 

 steeplechase course, we may accept the truth of the old 

 saying that one should ride slow at ''timber." Also, I am 

 inclined to think that a horse will not clear as great a 

 width when taking a water jump if he is sent at his topmost 

 speed at it, as he would do were his rate of going slightly 

 moderated, so as to enable him to raise his fore hand 

 sufficiently off the ground in order to obtain the angle 

 of elevation which will enable him to cover the maximum 

 distance. 



Clearing a Fence. — It is evident that the more a 

 horse, in the leap, brings his hind feet forward as compared 

 to the position of the prints of the fore feet, the greater 



