The little somethings here and the little somethings there are, after the event, plainly discernible. I£ they can be embodied in the normal everyday technique, the will to win emerges as a driving force, always present, and reaching its peak when the corner is tightest or the occasion the most momentous. Such little things are not entirely acquired by application to books and learning. Individuality, in all spheres of life, fosters progress and great deeds. In Show Jumping it can tip the scale to triumph. It may take the form of some mannerism or idiosyncrasy not in itself complying exactly with the technical detail demanded by theory. But, so long as it does not act in opposition to the precepts of a basic principle of jumping, it can be the cornerstone upon which success is built. Artists, those who excel at a particular craft, are not of necessity the victors when their métier lies in the field of sport. The little something extra, call it what you will, peculiar to the individual, backed by determination, highly developed concentration, and nerves which are taut but nevertheless serene, will transform the purely scientific artist into one of strength and practical magnitude. Humility is the most admirable of the virtues, and the searcher for perfection needs it in abundance.

Constructive criticism, founded on sound and well-tried principles, has been the intended theme of this book. Explanation, through the medium of photography, has been used to illustrate the major and the finer points of jumping. Photographs have been chosen with the sole purpose of making clear specific faults and virtues, the horse and rider in each case being purely incidental to the context, having no bearing on personal issues.

Show-ring Jumping is, indeed, a fascinating and tantalizing game. It is one in which all of us, from the gifted to the uninitiated, can find pleasure and an opportunity for individual prowess. It is a partnership worth promoting—one that can be happy and confident, based on the mutual respect and sympathy between horse and rider.

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