98 Modern Riding and Horse Education 



has been said and written about always keeping the 

 hands low, but there can be no fixed rule on the 

 subject; everything depends not only on the horse 

 and the defences his conformation and idiosyn- 

 crasies lead him most readily to employ, but also on 

 the pace at which he is traveling. Jim Mason al- 

 ways rode with his hands high, and yet according to 

 Whyte Melville he had fewer falls than most people. 

 This may possibly be accounted for by the fact that 

 some men undoubtedly do not get full value out of 

 their hands unless they ride with them at a particu- 

 lar height on every horse, either from ineradicable 

 early habit, or from some peculiarity which prevents 

 their exerting their full strength and gentleness in 

 any other position. These men are less likely to ex- 

 cel than those who can adapt themselves readily to 

 any horse's requirements. 



Ladies perforce ride with their hands higher than 

 men, and no one can accuse them of having bad 

 hands as a sex. 



I do not consider it altogether fair to quote the 

 well-worn saying : " If you do not pull at him he 

 will not pull at you " to the unfortunate man whose 

 horse is going a great deal faster than he likes. 



