HAND. 79 



arrangement on his part for a dead pull, which could 

 have but one result. Should you, moreover, find it 

 necessary to jump, you can thus hold him perfectly 

 straight at his fences, so that he must either decline alto- 

 gether or go exactly where you put him. Young, head- 

 strong horses are exceedingly apt to swerve from the 

 place selected for them, and to rise sideways at some 

 strong bit of timber, or impracticable part of a bull- 

 finch ; and this is a most dangerous experiment, 

 causing the worst kind of falls to which the sportsman 

 is liable. 



Riding thus two-handed, you will probably find your 

 new acquaintance " bends " to you in his canter better 

 than in his trot, and if so, you may safely push him to 

 a gallop, taking great care, however, not to let him ex- 

 tend himself too much. When he goes on his shoulders, 

 he becomes a free agent ; so long as his haunches are 

 under him, you can keep him, as it is called, " in your 

 hand." 



There is considerable scope for thought in this exer- 

 cise of manual skill, and it is always wise to save labour 

 of body by use of brain. Take care then, to have your 

 front clear, so that your horse may flatter himself he is 

 leading his comrades, when he will not give you half sa 

 much trouble to retain him in reasonable bounds. 



