the goodness and quickness of feeling; and in the
delicacy which nature alone can give, and which she does not always
bestow. The first sensation of the hand consists in a greater or less
degree of fineness in the touch or feeling; a feeling in the hand of the
horseman, which ought to communicate and answer to the same degree of
feeling in the horse's mouth, because there is as much difference in the
degrees of feeling in men as there is in the mouths of horses.

I suppose then a man, who is not only capable to judge of a horse's
mouth by theory, but who has likewise by nature that fineness of touch
which helps to form a good hand; let us see then what are the rules
which we should follow in order to make it perfect, and by which we must
direct all its operations.

A horse can move four different ways; he can _advance_, go _back_, turn
to the _Right_ and to the _Left_; but he cannot make these different
movements except the hand of the Rider permits him, by making four other
motions which answer to them; so that there are five different positions
for the hand. The first is that general position from which proceed the
other four.

Hold your hand three inches breadth from your body, as high as your
elbow, in such a manner that the joint of your little-finger be upon a
right line with the tip of your elbow; let your wrist be sufficiently
rounded so that your knuckles may be kept directly above the neck of
your horse; let your finger nails be exactly opposite your body, the
little finger rather nearer to it than the others; your thumb quite flat
upon the reins, separated as before described, and this is the general
_Position_.

Does your horse go forwards, or rather would you have him go forwards?
yeild to him your hand, and for that purpose turn your nails downwards,
in such a manner as to bring your thumb near your body, and your
little-finger then from it, and bring it to the place where your
knuckles were in the first position. Keeping your nails directly above
the neck of your horse.--This is the second Position.

Would you make your horse go backwards, quit the first position; let
your wrist be quite round, your thumb in the place of the little finger
in the second position, and the little-finger in that of the thumb,
turning your nails quite upwards, and towards your face, and your
knuckles will be towards your horse's neck.--This is the third Position.

Would you turn your horse to the Right? leave the first p