HAND. 87 



pastor's superiority in the sadd'l-e ? I hope not. At any 

 rate it seems unfair to cavil at the enjoyment by another 

 of the pursuit we affect ourselves. Let us show more 

 even-handed justice, if not more charity, and endeavour 

 at least to follow the good man's example in the 

 parish, though we are afraid to ride his line across the 

 fields. 



It would be endless to enter on all the different styles 

 of horsemanship in which fine hands are of the utmost 

 utility. On the race-course, for instance, it seems to an 

 outsider that the whole performance of the jockey is 

 merely a dead pull from end to end. But 'only watch 

 the lightest urchin that is flung on a two-year-old to 

 scramble home five furlongs as fast as ever he can 

 come ; you will . soon be satisfied that even in these 

 tumultuous flights there is room for the display of 

 judgment, patience, though briefly tried, and manual 

 skill. The same art is exercised on the light smooth 

 snaffle, held in tenacious grasp, that causes the heavily- 

 bitted charger to dance and " passage " in the school. 

 It differs only in direction and degree. As much dexterity 

 is required to prevent some playful flyer recently put in 

 training from breaking out in a game of romps, when 

 he ought to be minding his business in " the string " as 

 to call forth the well-drilled efforts of a war-horse, 



