THE RIDER. 205 



none in which the old rule of the relative value of an ounce 

 of practice and a ton of theory holds so good as in that comprised 

 under the head of Riding to Hounds, and of this particular 

 department, again, incomparably the most difficult to treat of 

 is that known as Hand. One might say of it, indeed, as 

 Mr. Matthew Arnold has said of the 'Grand Style:' it cannot 

 be analysed or defined ; it can only be spiritually discerned. 



It is, perhaps, too much to say that the gift of hands, like 

 1 reading and writing,' comes by nature ; but it is certainly a gift 

 that some men can never acquire, with all the experience in 

 the world. Again, though one can hardly say that a rider 

 blessed with a good nerve will also have good hands, it is 

 pretty nearly certain that without the former the latter will 

 not be found, or, at least will be found wanting when most 

 necessary. Nerve and presence of mind are synonymous 

 terms, and presence of mind is that quality which shows a man 

 at a glance exactly what to do or, at any rate, what not to do, at 

 the critical moment. Consequently an experienced rider with 

 presence of mind and pluck (and the one can hardly exist with- 

 out the other) will generally be found to have pretty good hands, 

 a good seat being of course understood. At least, if he is not 

 able to perform those wonderful feats with a horse's mouth such 

 as the late Lords Gardner and Wilton, for example, were famous 

 for, he will abstain from vexing, distressing, or flurrying his horse. 

 If he cannot always do the one thing needful at the proper 

 moment, he will do none of those many things that are not only 

 never needful at any moment, but absolutely fatal at all moments. 



About as good a piece of general advice as could be given 

 on this score to the young rider, if he be riding a trained hunter, 

 whom he knows, and who knows him, would be to leave him 

 alone. Keep him 'in hand;' keep your hold of the bridle, and 

 let the horse feel you have hold of it ; the best and cleverest 

 of hunters will want support at times. Moreover, as he is not 

 gifted with the spirit of prophecy (though it is wonderful how 

 near his instinct often approaches thereto), it is impossible for 

 him to be quite certain what waits for him and you on the 



