A DAY WITH TOM CANNON. 261 



mouth, all the way. You can't reasonably expect 

 a light, weedy two-year-old to carry you the 

 whole course on his jaws." 



" Then you think there was something in 

 the Chifneys' loose rein theory ? " I ask. 



" I don't quite know how far they went, and 

 I only speak from experience," Cannon replies. 

 " You must not have your rein too loose, so that 

 your horse has no guidance, doesn't know what 

 he's to do, and runs all over the course. I 

 don't mean that. But you must keep your 

 hands well back, and if you can't hold him with 

 a gentle pull, try a gentler still ; it's just like 

 trout-fishing, you want to be as delicate as 

 that." 



" And then comes the finish ? " I suggest. 



''Yes; and that's where many more races 

 are thrown away," is the reply. " If you hit a 

 horse too much and too soon he will simply 

 come back. He shrinks at the whip — of course 

 he does ; he's a great deal too sensible not to do 

 so. A flash young rider flourishes it about in 

 the air and frightens his horse out of his stride 

 before they have well reached the distance. If 

 you want to hit your horse, the whip should be 

 drawn quietly, and never more than seven, or at 

 the outside eight, strides from home. Then the 

 sudden application of the whip causes him to 



