Perfection, as Talbot-Ponsonby so rightly says, should always be the goal for which every rider strives relentlessly. Perfection will seldom, if ever, be reached, but the rider who studies the technique in every detail will be the nearer to achieving success.

In every competition there will always be found the four or five riders who battle for the first place, and it is the one who can maintain his concentration and offer every assistance to the horse who will be the winner. Once in the arena the rider cannot afford to make a single mistake, as unlike many other sports no second opportunity is offered, and the standard is now so high that every detail must be carefully studied.

There can be no person better qualified than Jack Talbot-Ponsonby to write such a book as this, for not only was he a brilliant rider but he proved his greatness with success, and now in the past few years he has shown himself to be an equally great instructor.

The more one learns about riding the more one realizes how little one knows. The writer of this book has had an opportunity of learning much from the many he has trained, for it was he who introduced Wilf. White into the international field, and also taught and guided Peter Robeson throughout his successful years. When training the Olympic team he could not fail to learn much from Harry Llewellyn, Wilf. White, Peter Robeson, and Duggie Stewart, all great horsemen, and equally ready to learn.

The simplest way to learn is to watch and study the artistry of the successful riders, and how very much simpler is the task when one may study with photographs, all carefully selected, and with the important lessons briefly described.

Many photographs are taken of jumping, but few photographers have the imagination of R. C. B. Gardner, who studiously avoids focusing his lens and attention solely on the actual obstacle.

Perhaps Talbot-Ponsonby owed much of his success to his great judgment when approaching a fence, and throughout this book the approach and take-off are emphasized. Riders often do not realize that success or failure is often decided many yards from the obstacle, or even when the previous obstacle is being jumped.

This book is excellently written by a great artist, who was an individualist, and one who has discussed and studied every detail. Eiders are fortunate in having the opportunity of studying these details with such simplicity, and I only hope they will take the opportunity this book offers. Let all remember that no artist will succeed unless he studies the technique and detail of great masters, and Talbot-Ponsonby is a great master.

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