Teaching The Horse To Jump In The Long Reins

The following method may often be found more convenient than the last described. The fence will be placed as in the sketch with a triangular wing along which the reins will slide as the horse jumps the fence. First of all the horse must be taught to go kindly on either circle in the long reins. When the trainer finds the horse has settled down quietly, for example on a left-handed circle, he will manipulate the reins so as to bring himself (the centre of the circle) to the position X. When he is standing at this point, the horse moving on the left-handed circle must cross the line AB. It is best to start the practice at a walk and let the first obstacle the horse encounters be a pole on the ground or something of that nature.

The long reins may be on the noseband, but if the horse gets out of control it will be best to put the reins on the snaffle rings with the outer rein over the horse's neck. In any case it will be wise to drive him over in this manner when he has learned to jump well with the reins on the nose-band. It is advisable to reverse the wing and make the horse jump whilst circling to the right as well as to the left. This will teach him to jump with equal facility with whichever leg he is leading at a canter. His efforts must be liberally rewarded.