150 Uses for Right Arm, 



main argument against the unnecessary use of 

 two hands is that you may absolutely require 

 your right hand for something else, while it cer- 

 tainly argues a poor training or character in a 

 horse to make it a sine qua non for you to em- 

 ploy both at every leap. Of what avail would a 

 trooper be in a charge, with his horse bounding 

 over dismounted companions, dead, or, worse still, 

 wounded and struggling horses, and all manner 

 of obstacles, if he had to steer his horse with his 

 sword-hand ? And not infrequently you will find, 

 in the peaceful charge after harmless Reynard, 

 that your right arm is better employed in fend- 

 ing off blows from stray branches or in opening 

 a passage through a close cover, than in hold- 

 ing on to one of your reins. Have you never 

 been through a bullfinch where you must part 

 the clustering branches if you were to scramble 

 through and avoid the wondrous wise man's 

 bramble-bush experience ? Have you never felt 

 your hat going at the instant your horse was tak- 

 ing off } Have you never seen just the neatest 

 place in the hedge obstructed by a single branch, 

 which your right arm could thrust aside as you 

 flew over? Have you never, O my hunting 

 brother, had to make an awfully sudden grab at 

 your horse's mane ? 



And while I am happy to defer to the opinion 

 of some of the most noted steeple-chasers and 



