W RIDING TO HOUNDS 



really expert in the field who is not a 

 sympathetic rider, maintaining a constant 

 understanding with his mount. A horse 

 is extraordinarily sensitive to his rider's 

 mental condition and reacts at once to any 

 vacillation, anger or fear on the latter's 

 part. 



As these suggestions are not intended 



Good *^ ^^^^ ^^^^ ^^^ ^^* ^^ riding, except while 



Hands hunting, little has been said about the 



all important question of "good hands". 

 Whether they are a natural gift or can 

 be cultivated, has always been a subject 

 of controversy among huntsmen, but it is 

 well to remember that the essence of "good 

 hands" is to ride as if you were pulling 

 on a thread which you were afraid of 

 breaking, to keep a constant feel on your 

 horse's mouth, and never allow him to test 

 his strength against yours in a dead pull. 

 There is no truer saying than the old one 

 that "if you pull a post, it will pull you". 

 Riding with long reins is one of the 

 essentials of "good hands", and is a par- 

 ticularly valuable habit on the hunting 

 field. Melville says on this point: 



