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we may so call it, is characteristic of the author, not only in its 
neat terseness of expression, but still more in its spirit of kindly 
care for the animal that cannot speak for itself. True gentleness 
is the offspring, not of weakness, but of strength, and this it is that 
sets its stamp upon all that Major Whyte-Melville has written. It 
is apparent upon every page of every work of his. It is the hall- 
mark found only upon true gold—the mark of a kind and manly 
heart. His ‘ Riding Recollections’ form no exception to the rule. 
Major Whyte-Melville’s horses are his friends, and he would have 
all who own horses treat them in the same spirit. 
Full of anecdote, and of sound practical teaching, the book is a 
pleasant one to read, and though perhaps the choice of a bridle 
may be matter of opinion, there is little in the book that we should 
care to contradict. In his somewhat obvious dictum that “reins 
are intended for the guidance of a horse, and not for the support 
of his rider,” we cannot too strongly uphold him. It is true that 
this sort of teaching may be said to be indeed beginning at the 
beginning, but to how many could we not point who wilfully 
disregard it. Many a nasty fall might be traced to neglect of this 
first principle, and for this reason we are inclined to think that a 
loose rein at a leap, in spite of the many disadvantages enumerated 
by the author, is the safer course for the majority of men. Left to 
itself, the horse will clear it if it knows its business, and if it does 
not, a heavy pull at the bridle is not calculated to teach it. 
From the use of the bridle, our author takes us to the abuse of 
the spur, and here again in one short pithy saying, he gives us the 
theme of a chapter. ‘‘ No man,” he says, “should arm his heels 
with spurs until he is so good a rider as to be sure they shall not 
touch his horse.” In effect the Major would have every one win 
his spurs in the field, as in the days of chivalry he would have 
won his spurs of gold,—ornaments won by prowess to be worn with 
honour,—and perhaps in the main he is right. Few people know 
how to spur—fewer still know when. Still we are inclined to 
think that there are times when spurs are a necessity, particularly 
to a novice, who needs his heels in proportion as he lacks head 
and hands. More than one “cropper” have we known averted by 
a timely application of the steel, when nothing else would have 
availed. 
Hand and seat, valour and discretion, have each a chapter to 
themselves, readable and valnable, in spite of the saying that an 
