THE LEAP.--THE STANDING LEAP.--THE FLYING LEAP.
"Soft thy skin as silken skein,
Soft as woman's hair thy mane,
Tender are thine eyes and true;
All thy hoofs like ivory shine,
Polished bright; oh, life of mine,
Leap, and rescue Kurroglou!"
Kyrat, then, the strong and fleet,
Drew together his four white feet,
Paused a moment on the verge,
Measured with his eye the space,
And into the air's embrace
Leaped as leaps the ocean serge.
LONGFELLOW, _The Leap of Roushan Beg_.
A lady rider who has the nerve and confidence to ride a hand gallop, or
a flying gallop, will be ready to learn to leap. Indeed, instruction in
this accomplishment should always be given, as it is of great assistance
in many emergencies. The most gentle horse may become frightened, shy
suddenly to one side, or plunge violently for some reason or other, and
these abrupt movements strongly resemble those of leaping; if,
therefore, the rider understands the leap, she will know better how to
maintain her equilibrium. Or she may meet some obstruction on the road,
as the trunk of a tree felled by a storm; when, instead of being
compelled to return home without finishing her ride, she can leap over
the obstacle. Again, should she at any time be in great haste to reach
her destination she may, by leaping some low gap in a fence, or some
small stream, be able to take one or more short cuts, and thus greatly
lessen the distance she would have had to ride on the road.
Leaping is by no means difficult to learn. With an English saddle, the
third pommel will prevent the rider from being shaken off by the
violence of the motion, and will thus make leaping entirely safe for a
lady provided the horse be well-trained and sure-footed. Before
venturing upon a leap, three requisites are necessary: first, the horse
must be a good and fearless leaper; second, the rider must have
confidence in herself and steed, because any nervousness on her part
will be apt to cause the animal to leap awkwardly; and third, she must
always be sure of the condition of the ground on the opposite side of
the object over which the leap is to be made--it must neither slope
abruptly down, nor present any thorny bushes, nor be so soft and soggy
that the horse will be apt to sink into it. No risk must be taken in
the leap, except in cases of emergency, when, of course, the rider may
have neither time nor opportunity to select her ground, and be obliged
to leap her steed over the nearest available point. The author once
avoided what might have proved a serious accident to both herself and
horse, by promptly leaping him over a hedge of thorn bushes, upon the
other side of which was a river: this was done in order to avoid
colliding in a narrow road with a frightened, runaway team, which was
quite beyond the control of its driver.
[Illustration: Fig. 33.--The Standing Leap--Rising.]
The =standing leap= will prove more difficult to learn than the flying
leap, but, nevertheless, it should be the first one practiced, and when
once acquired, the other will be mere play. A bar twelve feet long,
raised two feet from the ground, will be sufficient for practice in this
exercise; if a lady can manage a leap of this height with expertness and
grace, she will be fully able to bound over a still higher obstacle,
should she desire to do so, and her horse be equal to the occasion.
Before attempting the leap, she must be sure that she is perfectly
secure upon the saddle, with her left knee directly under the third
pommel so as to press it firmly against the latter as the horse rises to
the leap; her left leg, from the knee to the stirrup, must hang
perpendicularly[8] along the side of the horse, the inner surface or
side of the knee lightly pressing against the saddle-flap; her foot must
be well placed in the stirrup; her seat directly in the centre of the
saddle; her body erect and square to the front; her shoulders well back;
and the small of her back curved in. The right leg must firmly grasp the
second pommel as the horse rises, and the right heel be held somewhat
back, and close to the fore-flap of the saddle. The hands must be held
low, and about six inches apart, with a snaffle-rein in each, and the
curb-reins must be so placed that the rider will not unconsciously draw
upon them, but must not hang so loosely as to become caught accidentally
upon any projecting article with which they may come in contact. If all
these points be carefully attended to, just previous to walking the
horse up to the bar, the rider will be in correct position and ready for
the leap, which she will accomplish very quickly, with perfect security,
and with a much firmer seat than that obtained by the most finished
horseman.
Footnote 8: If the leap be a very high one, the left foot may be
thrust a little more forward to enable the rider to lean back as far
as is necessary.
The principal movement for which the rider should be prepared in leaping
is that of being thrown forward on the saddle, both when the horse makes
the spring and when his fore-feet touch the ground. In order to avoid
this accident, the rider, keeping a firm seat and grasp upon the
pommels, must incline her shoulders somewhat backward, both when the
horse springs from the ground and also during the descent, the amount of
inclination varying with the height of the leap. The erect position
should be resumed when the hind-legs have again touched the ground. In a
very high leap, the rider's body should be bent so far back during the
descent as to look almost as if in contact with the back of the horse.
When the points named above have been attended to, the horse must be
collected, with his hind-legs well under him, and then be briskly walked
up to the bar or obstacle to be leaped and placed directly before it,
but not so close that he cannot clear it without striking his knees
against it as he rises,--sufficient room must always be allowed him for
his spring. Now, after receiving a light touch or pull upon the reins to
tell him that his rider is ready, he will raise himself upon his
hind-legs for the leap. As he rises, the rider's body, if properly
seated, as heretofore explained, will naturally assume a sufficient
inclination forward without any effort on her part. While in this
position she must not carry her shoulders forward, but must keep them
well back, with the waist well curved in as when sitting erect. It
should never be forgotten that in the rise during the leap, just
previous to the spring, no efforts whatever must be made by the rider to
support the horse, or to lift him, but instead, she should simply hold
the reins so lightly that his mouth can just be felt, which is called
"giving a free rein." If the reins be allowed to hang too loosely they
may catch upon some object not noticed by the rider, and not only be
wrenched from her hands, but also give the horse's mouth a severe jerk,
or perhaps throw him upon the ground. Too loose a rein would, moreover,
be apt to make it impossible for her to give timely support to the
animal as his fore-feet touched the ground. The leap, it must be borne
in mind, is effected very quickly. (Fig. 33.)
As the horse springs from his hind-legs to make the leap, the rider must
advance her arms, with her hands held as low as possible so as to give
him a sufficiently free rein to enable him to extend himself; this
position of the arms will also prevent the reins from being forcibly
wrested from her hands by the horse's movements. At the moment of the
spring and the advance of the arms, the rider's body must be inclined
backward, the erect position of the waist and shoulders being, however,
maintained. As the animal's fore-feet touch the ground, the hands must
be gently drawn in toward the waist in order to support him, as such
support will be expected by the horse, and must be continued even after
his hind-legs rest upon the ground, so that the animal will not become
disunited, but will move onward in a collected manner. (Fig. 34.)
[Illustration: Fig. 34.--The Standing Leap--Descending.]
Many riding-teachers instruct their pupils to incline the body well
forward as the horse rises, while others require their pupils to lean
well back. The advocates of the former method say that this forward
inclination conforms to the position of the horse at the time, and so
places the weight of the body as to assist the horse in his spring. They
who adopt the other method maintain that if the body be inclined forward
in the rise, it will be almost, if not quite, impossible for the rider,
from the rapidity with which the horse extends himself, to make the
backward inclination in time to enable her to regain her balance
quickly. A happy medium will prove the best. If the rider be seated
correctly at the time the horse rises, her body _will naturally incline
a little forward_, and there will be but little weight upon the horse's
hind-quarters, while, as he springs and extends himself in his leap, she
can promptly adapt herself to his movements and incline her body
backward.
By leaning back as the horse rises on his hind-legs, the weight of his
rider will be thrown upon his hind-quarters, and she will present an
awkward appearance; while at the same time she will be very apt to
shorten the reins, and thus confine the horse so much that his leap will
become clumsy and dangerous.
On commencing the leap the rider, as heretofore stated, must never
attempt to raise the horse by the reins; a light, gentle touch or pull
given to them with the fingers, as when starting upon a hand gallop, is
all that will be necessary. The horse must be left free to take the leap
in his own way, using his own instinct or judgment in order that he may
clear his fore feet from the bar or object over which he has to pass.
During the rise, the rider must carefully guard against raising her
hands, and also against jerking or holding back the reins, as either of
these movements will discourage the horse, and, should he be tender
mouthed, he will refuse to leap at all, his own instinct warning him
that it is dangerous to attempt it under such conditions.
A rather hard mouthed, courageous animal, that has had experience with
awkward riders, will, as he extends himself in the leap, force his
rider's hands by a sudden jerk of his head, so as either to pull the
reins out of her hands, or, should she manage to retain her hold upon
them, to pull her forward upon the saddle.
Many ladies, in their fear of becoming displaced during the leap, will
unconsciously press their left leg and foot strongly against the side of
the horse, thus causing him to swerve or to refuse to leap. Gentlemen
teachers are apt to be unaware of this pressure, as the leg is hidden
underneath the riding skirt, and not unfrequently they have been puzzled
to comprehend why a well-trained, docile horse should leap very well
with some of their lady pupils, and awkwardly, or not at all, with
others.
A common error, in attempting to leap, is to sit too far back upon the
saddle, a position that not only prevents the rider from supporting
herself properly by the pommels, but is also likely to occasion her a
severe jar as the horse's feet touch the ground. When in the correct
position, the body is placed as far forward upon the saddle as the
pommels will permit, the waist and shoulders only being inclined
backward, as already described.
Pressing heavily upon the stirrup is another fault. This not only
destroys the usefulness of the third pommel, but, as has already been
remarked, such pressure will tend to lift the body from the saddle. The
foot should merely be kept light and steady in the stirrup.
It will be better for a beginner to leap with a snaffle-rein in each
hand. After having thoroughly learned how to make the leap properly, she
may then prefer to hold all the reins in the left hand. In this case,
she must be very careful not to throw up the unoccupied right hand and
arm as the horse passes over the obstacle; for, besides being a very
ungraceful movement, it may lead the horse to suppose that he is about
to be struck with the whip, and so cause him to make the leap
precipitately, and upon reaching the ground to gallop wildly off.
The rider must hold her head firm, not only for the sake of appearances,
but also to escape biting her tongue and receiving a violent jerk of the
neck, when the horse's feet touch the ground.
If a horse, just before leaping, be too much confined or collected by an
unnecessary degree of tension upon the reins, especially if he be not
thoroughly trained, he will rise from all four legs almost
simultaneously, and also alight upon them all together. In
horse-jockey's _parlance_ this is termed a "buck-leap." It is an awkward
manner of leaping, and gives a severe shock to the animal beside
fearfully jolting his rider. Again, a horse not well trained in the
leap, or somewhat indolent, may, if not animated and properly collected
just before rising, fail to leap over the obstacle, or in passing over
it may strike it with his hind-feet, for he will attempt the leap in a
loose, straggling manner. An animal that is well trained, and accustomed
to leaping, will take care of himself, and will require very little
assistance from his rider; a light hand upon the reins just before he
rises, a free rein as he extends himself, and support when he touches
the ground being all that is necessary.
Should the lady be expert in riding, and desire to teach her steed to
leap, she can readily do so by pursuing the following course: Let a bar
about twelve feet in length, and two feet from the ground, be so
arranged that the horse cannot pass around it. If possible, he should be
allowed to see a well-trained horse leap over this bar a number of
times; then taking advantage of a time when her horse is hungry, his
mistress should give him a few oats and, passing over the bar, she
should rattle the oats and call to him, when he will bound over to
obtain them. This course should be followed at each meal, and she should
reward him by feeding, caressing, and praising him every time he leaps
the bar,--the object being to accustom him to leap it without being
whipped or treated harshly. By thus being allowed to take the leap of
his own accord and without assistance, he will gain confidence, and will
not be apt to refuse when his rider is placed upon his back. In the
course of this training, the appearance of the bar should be changed in
various ways, as, for example, by placing different bright colored
articles upon it, such as pieces of carpet, rugs, shawls, etc. If he be
accustomed to leap only over an object that invariably presents the same
appearance, he may refuse to leap one of a different aspect.
Having thus trained the horse until he has become quite familiar with
the movements of the leap, and does not refuse to pass over the bar,
whatever appearance it may present, he will then be ready for his rider.
For the first few trials the lady should take care to have the bar
consist of some material that can readily be broken, in order to
prevent any accident should the horse, in passing over with her weight
upon his back, strike it with either his fore or hind feet. Once
mounted, she should teach him to clear the bar in a deliberate manner,
not allowing him to rush at it and jump from all four feet at once. She
will have to collect him, cause him to place his hind-legs under him so
that, as he rises, his weight will be thrown upon his haunches, and, as
he leaps over, she must be exceedingly careful not to restrain him in
the least, as any thoughtless act or awkwardness on her part may give
him a great distaste for an exercise which, otherwise, he would have no
reluctance in performing.
With regard to teaching a young horse to leap, the author is much
gratified to know that her views are sustained by several eminent
equestrians, and among them Mr. E. Mayhew of England, who states that a
horse should never be allowed to leap until he has attained at least his
fifth year, and who in his excellent work, entitled "The Illustrated
Horse Management," etc., remarks: "To place a rider upon an animal's
back and then to expect a bar to be cleared is very like loading a young
lady with a sack of flour, as preparatory to a dancing lesson being
received. This folly is, however, universally practiced; so is that of
teaching the paces, when the quadruped's attention is probably engrossed
by the burden which the spine has to sustain.
"Leaping is best taught by turning the horse into a small paddock having
a low hedge or hurdle-fence across its centre. A rider should, in sight
of the animal, take an old horse over several times. The groom who
brings the corn at the meal hour then goes to that side where the animal
is not and calls, shaking up the provender all the time his voice
sounds. The boundary will soon be cleared. When half the quantity is
eaten, the man should proceed to the opposite compartment and call
again. If this is done every time the young horse is fed, the fence may
be gradually heightened; after six months of such tuition, a light rider
may be safely placed upon the back.
"Instruction, thus imparted, neither strains the structures nor tries
the temper. The habit is acquired without those risks which necessarily
attend a novel performance, while a burden oppresses the strength, and
whip or spur distracts the attention. The body is not disabled by the
imposition of a heavy load before its powers are taxed to the uttermost.
The quadruped has all its capabilities unfettered, and, in such a
state, leaping speedily becomes as easy of performance as any other
motion."
Horses leap in different ways; the best leapers being those which just
glide over the object without touching it,--they appear to measure the
height required for the leap, and, whether the object be high or low,
they skim close to it. Such animals can be trusted, and may be allowed
to leap without urging or hurrying them, for they require very little
assistance from their riders, and do better when left to themselves.
Other horses exaggerate the leap and rise higher than is required; they
make a very fine appearance when leaping, but are apt to light too close
to the opposite side of the bar or obstacle, because they expend all
their energies on height instead of width. The worst leapers are those
which, instead of clearing the bar at a single bound, make two bounds,
as it were, in passing over it: the fore-part of the horse having passed
over, the body will seem to be resting for an appreciable time upon the
fore-legs.
The =flying leap= can be taken, without stopping, from any gait that is
more rapid than a walk, though commonly taken from the gallop. It is a
very easy leap, being little more than an extended gallop. The rider
takes the same firm, central position upon the saddle as has been
described for the standing leap. In the flying leap the body must be
inclined well back from the start, care being taken not to make any
forward inclination whatever. When the horse has fairly landed, after
the leap, the body must again become erect. The degree of the backward
inclination must be in accordance with the height and width of the leap.
During the whole period of the leap the hands must be kept low and the
reins be freely given to the animal, which must be supported as he lands
on the opposite side. As the horse runs toward the object to be leaped
over, the rider must, when about twelve or fifteen yards from it,
gradually relax the reins, by advancing her bridle hand or hands; and,
if her horse be a willing and good leaper, he may be allowed to select
his own pace, and use his own judgment as to the proper distance from
which to make the spring.
If the horse be unused to leaping, or be unwilling, the rider must be
upon her guard lest he attempt to defend himself and avoid the leap,
either by suddenly swerving to one side or by stopping before the object
to be leaped and then backing, or rearing. These actions are generally
the result of the horse's want of confidence in his own powers, and
severity will only make matters worse. In a dilemma of this kind, the
rider will have to convert the flying into the standing leap, as
follows:--
She must turn her horse and walk him a short distance away from the
object, then, turning him again toward it, she must encourage him to
advance slowly that he may take a good look at it; at the same time she
must have a light and ready hand on the reins, just firm enough to keep
his head steady and maintain control over his neck, so as to prevent him
from swerving to the right or to the left. She should then kindly and
firmly encourage him to make the bound; and by patience and perseverance
in this course he will generally be induced to do so. After he has
obeyed, she must not make him repeat the movement several times in
succession, as if she were triumphing over him, because he might regard
such a process as a sort of challenge, and renew the contest; instead of
such measures, he should be allowed to pass on quietly, no further
attention being given to the matter. By this change from the flying to
the standing leap the horse can be better prevented from shying, and on
the next occasion will be apt to make the flying leap over the object
without swerving.
The whip or spur should never be employed to make an obstinate or timid
horse leap, as he will ever after associate such objects as those over
which he has been thus urged or forced to leap with fear of punishment,
and his rider will never be sure of him when approaching one of them,
for he will either shy, or else bound over it in such a flurried manner
as will prove dangerous both to himself and his rider. An indolent
horse, that requires to be roused by whip or spur, is not a suitable one
for a lady to ride at a leap. Some horses will refuse to leap when
traveling alone, but will do so spiritedly and excellently when in
company with others of their kind.