JOCKEYS. 319 



hands go as high as their heads, round and 

 round over their horse's withers ; they have seen 

 something of the sort done by riders of acknow- 

 ledged merit, and try to reproduce it, without in 

 the least understanding what it means. Cannon's 

 finish, on the contrary, is not up and down, nor 

 round and round, but a gliding motion of the 

 hands, backwards and forwards, alternately sup- 

 porting and encouraging the horse, while all 

 the time his bit is touched with the utmost 

 gentleness. 



The only weakness ever urged against 

 Cannon is that he treats his horses too gently, 

 and does not sometimes get the "last ounce" 

 out of them, as Archer invariably does ; but that 

 is only — if it be the case at all — when riding a 

 timorous young horse, and when the question 

 arises if it is better to punish the animal severely 

 on the off chance of winning or to avoid the risk 

 of spoiling his temper, or "breaking his heart," 

 so that he may not be taught to dread a race- 

 course next time he is wanted. No man can 

 punish a horse more severely when punishment 

 is needful, bnt Cannon's theory is that a game, 

 willing horse can be persuaded to do all that he 

 can be frightened into doing. 



The wonderful " hands " which serve him so 

 well on a racecourse are naturally of equal service 



