IN SCARLET AN D SI LK

REC OLLECTI ON S O F HU N TI N G

AN D STEEPLECHASE

RI D I N G

FO ! R U S S E L L

" AU T HOR OF C ROSS CO U N TRY REM I N I SCEN C ES

W I T H T W O D RAW I N GS I N CO LOU R BY

FI N C H MASO N

SEC ON D ED I T I ON

L O N D O N E B L L A I R S C O .

T0 Hrs G RAC E T HE D U K E O F

E A F R T K t/zis Volum B U . G e O , . , is a ermission mos res ec ull , y fi , t p tf y dedica ed wi /z t/ze fiea n el a dmira ion t , t ff t t

' of itis gra leyul serva nt

T HE AU T HO R

C O N T E N T S

I N TRODUOTORY

HUNTING

FO! -HUNTING

STAGHOUNDS HARRIERS D RAGHOUN D S

STEEPLECHASING

EARLY D AY S

L B OF THE P TH Y Y R CE E RITIES AST IRT EA S .

STEEPLEOHASE RIDING

HURDLE RACING

SOME EQUINE ERRATI OS

ON COND ITIONING HUNTERS

I N THE OFF SEASON

I N T R O D U C T O RY

I N T R O D U C T O RY

TH E desire to excel in one particular p ursuit has always been so prominent a feature with — sportsmen each piously believing in his own

his particular hobby , and in inmost heart believing not at all in the hobbies affected by his brother - m en fi tha t all attempts at

on cohesion the part of the general body , and of fighting shoulder to shoulder for the sake of the common weal , have hitherto resulted in

N ow failure . , however , we have a Sporting

—we sha ll sha ll League , and see what we see But despite rivalry and j ealousy ; despite the efforts made by the noble army of Anti

enera l gamblers , humbugs in g , and declaimers against that crowning iniquity (no j oke in ! R tended here ) the oyal Buckhounds , Sport lives , and will continue to live , because there is deep down within the heart of every

4 [n Sca rlet a nd Silk

Englishman a real and strongly - rooted love of i f r i t o ts . own sake When , however , by

of R of means the ack , thumbscrews , Acts

- Parliament , Police court summonses , and

- of other deadly weapons , the kill j oys the world have finally succeeded in eliminating

our all such feelings from breasts , surely then even the most sanguine and most patriotic amongst Us must begin to look anxiously for the advent o f the aboriginal gentleman from N ew Zealand whom Macaulay ha s forewarned us sha ll one day indulge in the cheap , though

on draughty , entertainment Of sitting the ruins of London Bridge . But these nineteenth -century Aladdins will have to rub their lamps for a long time before they bring about the changes they are striv ing for , and cause themselves and their fel low - men to live the sort Of Arcadia - and - water existence which they think the only fitting one ; so taking advantage of the interval they are kind enough to allow us , between now and the time of our final annihilation in the

of world sport, let us leave the discussion [ntroduetoey 5 of t these angels withou wings , who are

for him obviously too ethereal this earth , and to the more congenial subj ect Of good horses and good men , and make our way , in spirit , with them as they cross a country . At that very moment I was just on the point of falling into the error I made allusion

of if e to in the first line this chapter , I was about to let the sportsman-j ealousy run away with me , and launch into panegyrics upon my own t particular manias , hunting and s eeple — chasing , making comparisons which we are “ ”— told are always odious with other branches of sport . But having now , metaphorically

out speaking , written a warning and pasted it t into my hat , I will endeavour , in hese pages ,

“ ‘ to put up a strong j ockey On my hobby

r ho se , and keep him from bolting into the

on of of crowd , and treading the corns any my fellow - men whose sporting tastes take another form to my own . I think I must have caught the horrible

Jorrocks Do not habit from . we all remember i how , with the best ntentions in the world , 6 I n Sca rle t a nd Silt he never could avoid “ running amuck with

- racing and coursing men , stag hunters , and what he contemptuously designated “ mug gers . All I will sa y is this : Is there any

on so— thing earth so good , so grand , well , — you know what I mean as riding across country ?

I f of M I live to the age ethuselah , I shall never forget my own first gallop over fences ; “ ” of Y and this was the how it , as the ankees say . My grandfather— may the turf lie lightly over one of the best and hardest cross - country riders that ever lived—had just bought a very

h - handsome chestnut cob , a alf broken four

- l year o d. One day he said to me “ Come up into the meadow, and you can ” have a ride on the new cob .

sm a ll My heart glowed with delight . What promotion from the broken - winded pony ! As “ W ! ” Penley Observes , hat glory Be it known

of that I was then Of the mature age seven .

A - - Old groom led up the four year , looking

’ as if butter wouldn t melt in its mouth . I I ntroductory 7

u was hoisted p , and the moment his head was

ha d let go , away he went as if he been fired out of a gun ! My grandfather shouted some directions

not — to me , which I did catch whoever does hear directions under such circumstances ? A sma ll brush fence at the end of the meadow

not did stop him ; he jumped high at it , but I jumped a good deal higher even than he

a did , and was embr cing his neck when we landed . The next field was bounded by a high wall , so that he could go no farther . With undiminished speed he raced round it and gradually bore away back again towards the meadow we started the cruise in . Again he charged and topped the low fence ; this

to on his time I seemed be sitting ears . He went about twenty yards farther , and then w stopped dead , and ith great calmness and

t Off me hodical precision kicked me , after which he quietly commenced grazing .

I rose to my feet , and waited to receive

’ my grandfather s sympathy as I screwed my

one w knuckles into eye . I waited , ho ever , I n S t a r/ct a nd S I M

a t a d o f die-a a x s in v in . Ins e sweet . w y e pre “ sions o f the Never - mind - thc n - it - wa s - a

h y - lum d a e naug t p or er , stern , ust re tones dennmded to know “ Who told vou to come tumbling off like a tlmm s ae k ? Ge t up o n to th e pony im m edia tel y You ought to be ashamed of y rs e ou lf. “ w s I a not codd . lis motto Men , molly les

a t re I h te d d for a h N u , t ink , in n e me lig t

we h oeke v fa . w d h a nd ig t j ; te ille ot erwise ,

me o he Ba r e cl a ca lle d t t . B tween in in tion a nd dutv ha e a t s ot e I v , time , g into som

F r x c o a nd o e t a . o uri us c mpl x si u tions e ample , I re membe r tha t a t a time when I wa s a cting a s De putv -Judge a t a ce rta in Criminal Co urt of Reco d sa t on the Th rsda a ll the r , I , u y , in

lorv of wi a nd o n e e m ow g g g w , s nt ncing y fell men to va rious te rms of imprisonme nt ; the ne xt da y I wa s spo rting silk in some Hunt

s Stee ple cha es . During tha t a fi e rnoon the o pe n ditc h proved fa ta l to me a nd be in g ra the oc e out o f t e e ra eo r kn k d im , s ve l p ple ca me up a nd a ss iste d in j e rking me on to my

8 [71 St a rlet a nd Silk

of die- in vain . Instead sweet , away expres “ — — sions of th e N ever - mind - then it was - a

- naughty pony order , stern , austere tones demanded to know “ Who told you to come tumbling Off like a flour- sack ? Get up on to the pony im

You of mediately . ought to be ashamed yourself.

His not m . motto was Men , ollycoddles

N f o r ature , I think , intended me a light weight jockey ; fate willed otherwise , and

m e called to the Bar. Between inclination and duty I have , at times , got into some u curious and complex sit ations . For example , I remember that at a time when I was acting as Deputy - Judge at a certain Criminal Court of R on ecord , I sat , the Thursday , in all the

of glory wig and gown , sentencing my fellow men to various terms of imprisonment ; the next da y I was sporting silk in some Hunt D Steeplechases . uring that afternoon the open ditch ” proved fatal to me and being rather knocked out Of time , several people came up and assisted in j erking me on to my I ntroductory 9

feet again . The following day I was waiting

r on f o my train the platform at Charing Cross , when a nondescript kind of individual sidled

to of on up me , and with a sad sort smile his face , exclaimed

’ 7 You How de do , sir Hope you re well .

’ to ou don t seem know me , but I know y well

’ enoughf “

ou . The deuce y do , thought I to myself And then I racked my brain to solve the pro blem of whether this was one of my rescuers at

” ’ or the fatal ditch fence , a witness I d insulted

- m in cross exa ination , and who was now about to punch my head . I dared not say much for ” o d fear f giving myself away . It woul never ” do for a Counsel learned in the law , still

D - d less for a eputy Ju ge , to confess to any

SO SO thing frivolous as riding in silk . I “ ” laid low , saying nothing , but indulging in the safe investment of a smile . “ sa ou ff Last w y , sir , in a very di erent place ” to this , he went on .

- He means a race course , I thought , and then ventured to reply I O [71 Sca rlet a nd Silt

Yes rather a bigger crowd there , eh

’ ’ - u for 7 Bit of a turn p me , sir , wasn t it

’ Somebody for whom I ve won a race ; ” N OW re good business . I can speak freely , fl d ecte . I Then aloud , I said “ Very stupid of me that I can 't quite remember your face . Always had a bad

ou memory for faces . I think y said your name was 7

“ ’ ’ kins t Tu . I didn t exac ly say , sir ; but it s p

n Tupki s. I was as much in the dark as before . “ ’ ” sir ? Don t you remember the day , he went on in lugubrious tones .

— — fi well not . Oh ah quite , I stammered

’ Somebody f or whom I ve lost a race appa ” rently , I added to myself, more mystified than ever . “ ’ Don t you remember what you gave me

sir that day , — — ’ I I . N o o . can t say I do What was

" Three months ard .

ma n I fled . It was a I had tried and sen I ntroductory I I tence d at the Quarter - Sessions two years before .

During the years I was in practice , I was generally able to get away for the bi- weekly gallop with the Royal Artillery Draghounds

n at Woolwich . Ha dy to town , I could often

’ - one stay in the Temple until half past o clock , and then be in time for the run at three . What glorious fun we used to have ! It has fallen to my lot to hunt with many packs , and in many countries , but there will be a soft spot in my heart for the memories of the good Old Drag until the end Of my life . On several occasions I had to cut things rather fine in order thus to combine business

t . wi h pleasure Once , I remember that , led

. C . by Mr Lumley Smith , Q (now a County

Court Judge), I was arguing a case before

- Lord Chief Justice Coleridge , until nearly

’ R of twelve o clock , at the oyal Courts Justice , and by dint of cabbing to Cannon Street

Station , railing to Blackheath , there changing and cantering the remaining two miles to 1 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Sile

on ba ck to Woolwich a , I was enabled be pre

of sent at the inaugural luncheon the season ,

- R by half past one , at the oyal Artillery mess rather sharp work . On another occasion I won a case at Bow County Court , attended a summons before the Judge at Chambers , and then arrived in time to get my gallop and also a rattling fall over a piece of stiff — timber with the Drag . I also remember “ M that one Grand ilitary day , when the

of Woolwich Drag , for the convenience such of w its followers as wished to go to Sando n ,

8 A. M . to met at , I was enabled ride the line

o with them , change horses , and j g on to

the - Farningham , hunt with Mid Kent Stag hounds , and then rail back to town in time to change and attend a consultation of M H 0 R . counsel at 5 . 3 with the late Sir enry C ’ Jackson , Q . . , in Lincoln s Inn .

’ Mention of Lincoln s Inn reminds me of the time I was a student there , in the

of m chambers that eccentric genius , Tho as

Brett . A profound theoretical lawyer , and author Of three or four most erudite legal I ntroductory I 3

so u a s works , nothing pleased him m ch to

- get away to a race course . He did not ” “ ” throw much style into his get up . We started together once for a day at the

’ old Croydon Steeplechases . Tom Brett s idea of a suitable costume for this and every

wa s other occasion a tall hat , with the nap

on all brushed the wrong way , and stuck hind side before a thin black necktie , fastened in a bow , and Slewed round under one ear ; an overcoat left open and flying out to the breeze , as he sped along at a pace that no

on w man earth could keep up ith , except at a trot ; trousers of equal parts , grey cloth and ink spots ; ink -spotted cuffs and collar ; with p ince - nez which never remained f or

on five consecutive seconds his nose . He was on these race days always armed with a quart bottle , the black neck of which

r - p otruded boldly from his side pocket , and three or four cigars wrapped up in a bit of newspaper . He absolutely declined to go on

or a Stand , even into an enclosure , and the way he raced from one fence to the other 14 I n Sca rle t a nd Silk to se e horses j ump wa s a sight f or the gods !

On every race he religiously p unted half- a crown , never more or less ; and in all the years I knew him , I never remember his

Tom backing a winner but once . Poor Brett had a heart of gold , but it was certainly hidden beneath a strange , uncouth exterior . Why lawyers Should be generally considered

of incapable sympathy with sport , is passing

is is strange and how false the notion , easily shown by mentioning such names in con n ection with hunting and racing a s those of — the Lord Chief Justice (Lord Russell); the f . . C. o late Mr Granville Somerset , Q , one the best men who ever crossed Exmoor ; Sir

Henry Hawkins ; Lord Justice Lopes ; Mr .

. C. Justice Grantham Sir Frank Lockwood , Q ,

P l - M M . r. . , the ate Solicitor General Butcher f M . P Mr D . C M P o and . arling , Q . , . all k whom , by the way , too great interest in the first Bench and Bar Point to Point race ,

1 8 so r A 10 . run pril , 95 That g ave and learned a profession could do anything of “ ” such a decidedly frisky nature a s indulge

1 6 I n Sca rlet. a nd Silk

t of par the contest , swerved and knocked down Lord Justice Lopes , who was watching the Mr. race ; whilst Croxall , riding Pepper ,

’ mél e was also brought down in the e . A splendid race home , between four , resulted ,

of as I have said , in the victory Corunna

Mr bought by . Lyttleton for Sixty guineas , and entirely made into a jumper by him M P Mr . Butcher , . . , being second on Fingall , whilst Messrs . Cope and Terrell made a dead heat of it for third place . Turn we now from law and the lawyers to the greatest and best of all cross - country

of . work , the hunting the fox

H U N T I N G

2 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Sile

But , strangely enough , it would appear that our ancestors living before the time of R not . ichard II . did hunt the fox Amongst the earliest of quarry , we find allusions to

- the bear , wolf, stag , boar , wild cat , and hare , “ ” but the little red - rover was either left

a s unmolested , or else , perhaps , regarded merely unworthy vermin , to be despatched

or on — by trapping , a knock the head when m caught ! Perhaps it was the di iculty of laying hands on him that first suggested the idea of calling in the aid Of hounds for his destruction . Be that as it may , there is proof that the fox was looked upon as a beaste of ” v e nerie in this reign , and by the vast maj o rity of men who hunt tod ay would surely be accorded pride of place amongst them all . Well may hunting be called a “ Royal sport , for from earliest ages a large propor tion of our monarchs have followed hounds “ and it is recorded of Good Queen Bess that she was still hunting when past her seventy - sixth year : a truly wonderful per form a nce for any woman . Fox- a unting 2 I

One of the Lords Of Wilton has stated in “ ” o f his Sports and Pursuits the English , that hounds were never entered solely to fox “ ” until the year 1 75 0 ; and the Badminton book on hunting tells us that the famous pack Of the Dukes of Beaufort wa s only in “ 1 76 2 steadied from deer and encouraged to

7) fox . Charles II . seems to have had a some what catholic taste in hunting countries , for there are records existing Of his hunting in E the West country at various places , in ssex and Middlesex ; whilst my own grandfather lived within the country of the Crawley and Horsham Foxhounds in a little moated Old house which was said to have been used ex elusively a s a hunting box by the Merry

of Monarch , from which place abode I have

’ sallied forth for many a good day s sport . V Henry III . favoured Essex as well as the “ ” Windsor district ; whilst Good King George appears to have affected the last -named locality chiefly , but also hunted on the South

D An d owns . coming down to the present day , it is pleasant indeed to reflect that I n S ca rlet a nd Silk nearly all the members of the reigning house are well- known figures in the hunting

field . When we look back at our past hunting " di icult life , what y we experience in deter mining which country we think is actually the best we have ever ridden over . I have never been fortunate enough to follow our — premier pack , the Quorn which , by the way ,

its s M one has in Lord Lonsdale , pre ent aster , of the hardest and best men I ever saw cross — a country but in my own small experience I hardly know which to give the preference S to . ometimes I think the fine pastures and

Of or flying fences the Grafton , the Pytchley , “ ” or the eminen tly jumpable tract hunted by the Bicester ; anon , that the Blackmoor

’ or or Vale s big doubles , Leighton Ayles

’ a fl orded bury s galloping country , me the All most real pleasure . were superlatively

of good in their several ways ; and , course , it depends so much upon how one wa s mounted as to the exact measure of en j oym ent one extracted from the different Fox-na ming 2 3

sa countries . Unhesitatingly , I y that I would rather hunt a donkey on the Thames Embankment than not hunt at all ; but at

to the same time , I am equally sure that Obtain a good country it is worth taking

o f any amount extra trouble , rather than ,

doloe a r niente d by pursuing the f metho , to hunt in a bad one . And contrasting good and bad countries brings me to the con — sideration of a rather curious thing the

out of facility with which a horse , taken

K f or such countries as ent and Surrey ,

d N or example , will a apt himself to even

i tha mptonshire in its most strongly fenced parts . A good . horse Simply loves hunting ,

t se e and , ridden freely , will do his bes to where hounds are going , be the change in

s ground never o great . I have seen more than one instance Of an animal which has

of been hunting in the worst parts Kent ,

ou where , many a day , y never even see a fence worth calling a j ump , transferred to G the rafton and the Pytchley country , facing bi boldly the g fences there , and with the 2 4 I n Sca rle t a nd Silk

A n utmost success . nother queer tra sition case was that o f a horse belonging to Mr .

John White , of Taunton , which he sent up to me from the Devon and Somerset to hunt

n with the Blackmoor Vale . I never got o a bigger , bolder fencer , and in the Cheriton run Of how , I am afraid to say many years

she ago , carried me to the finish in a way

she ha d I shall never forget , although not before this been outside Devonshire in he r life . I had also a curious experience with

- out of a Welsh bred horse , brought straight his native fastnesses into a flying country . N othing would induce him to jump or even scramble through brush fences at first , but

or over a line of gates , stiff timber of any sort , he could not be defeated . I hunted him for five seasons , and in that time rode over more gates than I have ever done before

m e or Since , and , save once , he never gave a

l As a s fa l at any of them . far I could find — out of his previous history and as he came to me at a very early age he could not — have had a lengthy one the horse had had Fox- lzunting 2 5

hardly any previous experience of timber

j umping , but seemed to take to it quite

naturally. Wh at an extraordinary combination o f fortuitous circumstances is necessary for the making of a really fine run I Fox - hunting is

so intrinsically good a sport that , year in ,

out us year , it is well calculated to satisfy

—or all to the full ; but how many rather ,

— - how few first rate runs do we get in a season ? one might almost substitute the ” A words in a lifetime . mongst the mani

fold requirements are a good scent , a good

start , a good horse , and a good country . Let

one of these be absent , and probably no good

run will be recorded , as far as we , individu

a re . ally , concerned And can anything be more maddening than to find that your

one ou neighbour has had a good , and that y “ Ye s ot . yourself g left , I know it sounds

sa horribly selfish to y this , but can any poor , weak mortal deny that it is true ? Once

- s sa upon a time , as the story book y, I ven t ured forth upon a gay and corky four- year 2 6 I n S ca rlet a nd Sill:

“ t - I Ve old to hun the red rover . were a w long time before we found , during hich period my mount persistently reared , and ” A made a beast Of himself. t last a fox — was found a genuine traveller . Away we went across a big meadow , with a nice brush fence at the far end , over which my young

’ un u bo nded like a stag . I secretly hugged “ myself on being in for a good . thing . I was—but not quite in the way I had anticipated .

We crossed a fallow field , bounded by a post and rails , about three feet six high . My

d d nu haughty Pegasus , oubtless isdaining so

t a n t importan Obstacle as this , ried to run R ! through them. esult : Chaos

We picked ourselves up , and resumed . “ Taught , doubtless , by this incident not

- - to despise your enemy , the four year old jumped the next ditch as though it were a navigable river ; then sailed away at s uch a pace that we rapidly overhauled the leading

a s brigade again . Just I had (involuntarily ,

2 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Sil/e

N also slightly lame behind . othing for it but to walk back to B How I hate

! - walking and walking in top boots , which surely , though unostentatiously , chafes away all the skin from your heels , is doubly hor rible . I shall never forget that m elancholy d tramp , driving the now thoroughly dejecte

’ un young in front of me as I went . Then it came on to rain ! There was only one

no thing needed to complete my woe . I did t have to wait long for it . Two miles from B I was overtaken by a splashed and ridiculously happy looking man in pink . “ old . Halloa , chap , you do look a picture

’ We ve ha d the very best ga llop of the whole sea son he exclaimed . t I knew it . I was as certain hat when my chance wa s settled they would have the best ” gallop of the season a s I was of death and quarter day ! “ ” It keeps one young ! said one Of the Grand Old Men of the chase to me a

his short time since , and words , verily , are Fox- hunti ng 2 9

out borne to the letter every day . What a list we might make of those we have seen “ ” w going at a time of life hen , but for the

of rejuvenating properties hunting , men would have preferred the comfort of their easy chairs at home . It was but last year that I

Rev was talking to the . Mr . Fane , whilst the Essex hounds were breaking up a fox

’ Mr after a sharp hour s gallop . . Fane was

- w then eighty three , and al ays managed , some h w or to o other , see most part of a run and

Ma cclesfield Lord , who hunted the South O xfordshire for thirty years , was carrying his eighty summers bravely at the Peterboro’

Foxhound Show this very year . Handsome old Mr D . igby , too , in the Blackmoor Vale country— what a delightful thing it was to watch him make his way along , to such good purpose that he got plenty of enjoyment out Of

R. N his day . Captain Philpott , . , also in that country , I have seen following hounds at a very advanced age . And , to my mind , far w more onderful still , there is a lady now — hunting as I give her age my readers will , 3 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

I am sure , readily understand that unless I were prepared to immediately emigrate I — dare not mention her name L who is seventy

fiv e , and the year before last broke her thigh riding over a fen ce . It must have required pretty good nerve to have braved the perils t of the chase af er that , at her age , and she is hunting this season in one of the home counties . R Mr . obert Bird was another wonderful f ” example o keeping young . He used to go right well , not merely p otter along , in the Fitz — william country which takes some doing , by — the way until he was past eighty ; and I see “ R that Custance , in his interesting iding ” R e t ecollections , stat s that this good spor s man offered to run any horse in the Fitz

0 1 2 . william Hunt for 25 5 , st . 7 lbs each , owners u of p , the challenger being then the age Of seventy- eight ! And is it not matter

’ of fox- history , engraved in every hunter s “ how of heart , the immortal Squire Ted

Assh eton worth , Thomas Smith , the best

e sa w d and hardest rider England ver , accor Fox-hunting 3 1

N not ing to imrod , was only hunting , but going hard to hounds , and taking falls , until f he was eighty years o age . Until the very last he rode up to his own gallant advice to “ others , Throw your heart over ; your horse

’ will follow . And I cannot refrain from mentioning an incident wonderfully charac “ ” teristic of that not - to - be - denied spirit in d which h e always ro e across country . It was t whilst he was hun ing in Leicestershire , and the - wa s SO line taken by the fox severe , and the pace so hot , that , after going for about m twenty minutes , he found himself acco panied

Mr one . by only man , White . They came to a fence so big that there only seemed one practicable place in it . Mr . White was first w at it , and hen the Squire came up he found ” Ge t I his friend stuck fast in it . on roared “ ” “ Mr of . Smith pray get out the way ! If

’ ’ ou you re in such a hurry , why don t y charge ” ? N O me was the reply . sooner said than

Mr. done , and Smith knocked horse and rider clean into the next field , and away they both

W of ent again in hot pursuit the pack . 3 2 I n Sca rle t a nd S ilk

Few men have taken more falls , and got ofl more cheaply from them , than the hard

“ ’ ’ squire . There s no place you can t get over

to sa with a fall , he used y, and he never let go of the reins when he was down ; a most excellent plan , but attended with a certain amount of risk In trying to follow this

’ great horseman s advice , I nearly lost my

som e ~ ea rs a o left eye y g , as the hand that should have been guarding my face was employed in holding my reins ; the c on sequence being that the four -year - old on top of me struck out , and cut my cheek down to the bone , exposing the eye in a most unpleasant manner . There are few more striking figures in the hunting -field of to - day than that of Charles

Lec onfield Shepherd , huntsman to Lord , in the Sussex country . At the age of seventy six to , and probably senior by several years

his E any other of craft in ngland , he still goes right well across a country , and is

n always with his hounds . He began hunti g

Mr of at the age Of thirteen with . Hall , — Fox hunting 3 3

six Holbrook , Somerset, and was for years under the huntsman there , James Treadwell . He early acquired such a reputation as a whip that , in the words of a famous hunting — Rev . parson , the . Mr Blackbourne now an — “ octogenarian he wa s so good that he could ” whip hounds into your pocket. From there Shepherd went for two seasons to Lord Y arborough as second whip , under Tom

Mr n f ha ll . . o Co t Smith Then Co yers , p , near

E of pping, Offered him the place first whip , and with him he remained for nearly seven years . Yorkshire and Lord Middleton next

Obtained his services as first whip , but a record of twenty - one blank days drove so keen a man as Shepherd from the country g after the one sea sonfi This was probably

Mr Scra f . tton o a lucky accident for him , as , ff the Essex Union , then O ered him his first it place as huntsman , and was in this country that he enj oyed what he always considers was the finest run of his life . On this particular day Shepherd found his fox just by the

T c unt now a n bun nce of f xe his o ry has a da o s . C 3 4 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

- on Com Chelmsford race course , Galleywood

’ m n W o . They ran him through Hunt s oods , past Stock , and right away over a fine line

sea Of country to the , killing him in a church

a t yard . The time was n hour and fif y minutes , and the distance covered must have

n —fiv been considerably over twe ty e miles . For over thirty years past Charles Shepherd

’ Leconfield s has been with Lord pack , first taking the post of huntsman there under M ’ the astership of the present earl s father .

t A . M . or He is never in bed af er 5 , winter summer , and in the warm weather is out with his hounds in the park by half- past

ile rin e s four . He has always been f a c p c p at his profession ; and even at his present age one might look a long time before finding “ one one any to beat him . Truly it keeps

’ youngf Although it is said that huntsmen are

born , not made , the saying is only true in a very limited sense . There is much to

n - lear even by the heaven born genius , and it is only reasonable to suppose that no one

3 6 I n Sca rlet a nd S ilh

bank , asleep , after his nocturnal perambula N tions . aturally , if you are drawing down

too wind , instead of up , you serve him with long a notice to quit . This remark , however , does not apply to the average small covert ,

down which should always be drawn wind , or hounds will have a great chance of m chopping him , a ost undesirable thing . In “ ” E of xtracts from the Diary a Huntsman , ” written by the celebrated Tom (not

Assheton M Thomas ) Smith , aster of the

d of Craven , and afterwar s the Pytchley , and

or published fifty sixty years ago , occurs “ this passage : It is no uncommon thing

on n for a good fox , his bei g first found , to

f or or two go up wind a mile , and then head down wind , and never turn again ; probably instinct tells them that hounds will go such a pace up wind that they will

n of be a little blow , and that the change scent , down wind , creates a slight check , ” which gives him the advantage , and this is a thing we should all try to remember in hunting hounds . Fox- hunting 3 7

I n big woodland co untries plenty of voice and horn are essential on the huntsman ’ s part, especially the former , when drawing the coverts , and no part of them that is at “ — all get atable should be passed over . N o creature in the world understands the art “ of lying low better than a fox . Although you may well “ kick up a row ” until your

is fox is away and hounds after him , there nothing to be gained by noise when once clear of covert and settled to the line . Then you may afford to be happy until you

— mira bile dicta check unless , you kill him instead . But in most cases you do get a

or check , , to speak more correctly , a good

n many checks . Again , the field depend upo

’ the huntsman s patience , discretion , and skill . His patience should restrain him from undue interference ; hounds must always be allowed to try and recover the scent for themselves

so first . If they cannot do , then the skill of the huntsman is seen to the greater a d vantage . Perhaps the fox has been headed and turned ; perhaps chased by a cur ; per 3 8 I n Sca rle t a nd Sile — haps and this is one of the most curious

n n thi gs in hunti g , as all practical men know

the scent has lifted from the ground , and is then floating in the air above hounds’

on heads , only to rest again the ground a few minutes later . Having satisfied himself that his assistance is essential in recovering the scent , the huntsman must now get hold

his And of his hounds and make cast. here he should remember that of the many things

Of which may have headed his fox , a flock

Sheep is not likely to have done the mischief. I have many times found the tracks of foxes in the snow going right through a lot of Of sheep . course they can do an infinity

Of in mischief the way of foiling a scent ,

n n but I am perfectly co fide t that a fox ,

or w hunted other ise , would never condescend to go out of his way for the sake of a flock

f ox of Sheep . If your has been chased by a

f or n a s cur it is a bad business , sce t ceases ,

’ from the scene of the incident . Shepherds

and dogs are a terrible nuisance in this respect ,

- n do nine tenths of the work of spoili g sport . Fox- hunting 3 9 It is obviously a most desirable thing that the huntsman should be a s much as possible with his hounds during a run ; one great reason f or it being that he will then be able

f or h of to see imself, in the event a check , — ’ wha t it is that has turned them they can t tell him when he comes up ten minutes after wards . Probably no living creature thoroughly understands that great mystery Scent , except the fox himself ; and this knowledge he shows at every point of the game ; never more so than when dead hea t and unable to trust any longer to his speed and stamina for

re safety . When , in addition to this , it is membered that in his own country , there is

of probably not an inch it unfamiliar to him ,

is that he can swim like an eel , as fast as a

- of race horse , and as cunning as a member

- sa the Anti Gambling League ; when , I y, we

c consider all this , it will be readily onceded that huntsman and hounds must “ get up

’ very early in the morning to circumvent him 4 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt: — A word as to over riding ; every year seems to make things worse in this respect. How ca n men tear right along when hounds are at fault, and do , in thirty seconds , such harm as means diminished or total lack of sport for the rest of the day ? It is simply disgusting to see the extent to which this is And re carried . when the Offenders are

we ! proved , are treated , forsooth to a lot Of bunkum about their “ coming out to please themselves I The fact that they spoil every

’ one else s fun of course goes for nothing ” of - with this class cock tail sportsman .

Unfortunately , many of the culprits are big M subscribers , and the aster dare not give utterance to the thoughts that must necos sa ril A ro os y be uppermost in his mind . p p

f - F H o M . . . this , a well known , who had been sorely tried in this respect , caught his — second whipper in in a slight transgression of the same nature , and roundly swore at

n him before the whole field , wi ding up with ,

At a ll d—n ou events , I may y FO ! - H U N T I N G

TI M E E was when ssex , though always a

wa s sporting country , rather looked upon as

on a hunting ground to be avoided , account “ ” of its wealth of plough and circumscribed d area of grass lan . But during the last ten or fifteen years there has been a general move amongst Essex farmers to lay more

of and more their land for grass , whilst , as draining is synonymous with high - class culti vation , the ground rides lighter and better than it did in the days of yore . Steam ! ploughing , the Powers be praised is not

Roothin s much in evidence , and in the g “ ” the plough is almost as good - going a s the E grass . The ssex Foxhounds , having their kennels at Harlow, run over an extremely 4 2 l n Sca rlet a nd Sil/e

fine sporting country , and the establishment

one Mr Mr. is of which . Bowlby and Loftus

i Arkwright , the j o nt masters , may well feel N f l "i proud . o more e cient huntsman than

ha s Baily , who carried the horn for several seasons here , could be found , and he and his whips are always thoroughly well mounted .

Personally , I may say that I was under a strangely false impression when fate first took me into this country , for I thought that it was a singularly easy one to ride over . Viewing

of the matter in the light actual experience ,

not I at once confess my mistake . I am saying that it admits of any comparison wi th “ ” really big countries , such as , for instances ,

G or the Blackmoor Vale , rafton , Pytchley ,

to E but , nevertheless , be carried across ssex you must be on a performer : that admits of

no possible doubt whatever . The ditches are both big and deep ; many o f them have rotten banks into the bargain , but this last

no t Roothin s remark does apply to the g . The Essex Union country is rather a

one on smaller to jump , and lies the east

44 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

m the Grafton country , and , speaking for y M self, I never heard the noble aster use even a wa s sharp expression . He invariably cour — teous to all but no one ever thought of

n disobeyi g him .

’ Mr leld N . She eave s Staghounds go , about three days a fortnight , over much the same

E oxhounds country as the ssex F , and though

one e the pack is hardly an ornamental , th y have shown good sport for many seasons past .

ic e Mr. Mr. v Brindle now whips in to them , E N dward eave resigned , whilst the Master

r r rs n most ably carries the horn in p op ia p e o a . It was in the Essex country that Maj or Foster met with his fatal accident several

- seasons back . His horse refused , and then fell with him , at a deep ditch . Some time elapsed before the animal could be got o ff his prostrate rider , and then it was found that , unhappily , the pommel of the saddle him t had pressed down , and li erally choked him . I commenced this chapter by saying that

n Essex wa s always a sporting cou try . This — Fox hunting 4 5

year the farmers are keeping up its character , for when , in their interests , it was proposed to devote the funds usually expended upon Harlow S teeplechases to a big champagne

of luncheon , no less than three hundred the

a nd sturdy agriculturists rose up in revolt , appended their signatures to a request which signified that , although champagne might be ! good , sport was better and Harlow Steeple

sa w so chases were duly held . I never big

- i a gathering at a country race meet ng before . During the past season foxes must have had a comparatively good time in their im munity from hounds , though , amongst others ,

Mr A on out . shton , four occasions , brought

’ his pack for a day s hunting on the snow . But in spite of the severity of the winter —One that will be remembered as stopping hunting for a longer period than a ny ex “ erienced 1 8 p since the Crimean year , 5 7 c ubs have been discovered in this country

- E — ssex very early . One litter that came under my notice , in especial , seems to be worthy of remark . Ferreting a bank o n 4 6 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt:

2 th of ot the 9 January , the ferret g into a fox - earth and paid the penalty with his

. u one life Then , seizing p cub , the vixen made a bolt with it , leaving another behind

n her which , on exami ation , appeared to be

ne or about three weeks Old . O two other early litters have also been discovered , but none , that I have heard of, quite so soon in the year as this . h The rut less builder is slowly , but none

n f ox the less surely , exterminati g foxes and

in ! hunting Kent and Surrey , and , alas also in many parts of Sussex where I have en

th e j oyed many a good gallop , notably with

Crawley and Horsham Foxhounds . Here , as

n a boy , I Obtained (and deserved)the undyi g hatred of everybody in the field by riding a horse I could no more hold than I could

- Old have stopped a steam roller. But good — George Loader a better huntsman never lived — always refrained from using “ cuss “ words at me , and said he liked to see

’ ” the young uns going . With only about

on old seven stone his back , the steeplechase Fox- h un ting 4 7

horse I rode used to go as if the dev il had i k cked him .

n In co nection with Sussex hunting , it is sorrowful news that after keeping the Good

f or D wood hounds twelve years , the uke of R ichmond is now giving them up .

to The best part of Kent , my mind , is the country over which the Mid—Kent Stag d R M houn s travel . ound aidstone and Water

in bur g y, indeed , there are some really fine

lines to be traversed , with plenty of grass

and good fencing . After manifold chops and

of M now changes astership , this pack has

reverted to the Leney family , and in their

n I hands I trust it may lo g remain . t is now several years Since I had the pleasure

of a run with them , but , with luck , I shall

to hope renew their acquaintance ere long . The I Vest Kent Foxhounds hunt over a

indif very varied country , good , bad , and f er n H n e t . o R N The . alph evill , who presided over the destinies of this pack for so many

ha s now years , resigned , to the great regret of all , but Bollen still remains to hunt them . 4 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

A fine horseman , with nerves of iron , he is

of a thorough master his craft . I shall not readily forget his performance one day , some ten years back , when hounds had just streamed across the metals of the South E R astern ailway . Bollen trotted up to some

- - high and new post and rails , j umped them , on to the line , and crossing it , faced and overcame in like manner another Obstacle of

not one the same sort , the other side ; and Of us would follow him !

In the days when , by bringing any wretch out of a training stable to see hounds half a - dozen times , you could qualify it to take part in “ Hunter’ s ” (save the mark !) flat races , the Old Surrey and other Surrey packs were always favoured with a plentiful supply

” - m a rtin a led of smooth sna ed , g , and bandaged ” - rips , ridden by big headed and prematurely old- looking boys , who artfully lay in wait for M the aster, and after rushing their mounts

a sk over or through a gap or two , would “ ’ c e rtific a te And him for their , onlytoo

of - thankful to be rid them , the much worried Fox- hunting 49

“ M t sa Yes as er would probably y, other things as well ! The resignation of Lord Chesham as Master of the Bicester , was a matter for real sorrow

As amongst hunting men . a splendid type

a nd of an Englishman , both in mind body , he would be (as he is in riding to hounds) ” of hard to beat . An extraordinary number the right sort may always be seen follow

’ D of in ing this pack and the uke Grafton s , cluded amongst them being such well—known personages in the hunting world as Sir “ Rainald (or is it Lord now Knightley

Kni htle and Lady g y, Lord and Lady Law

Hon rence , Lord Capel , Lord Bentinck , .

Tu ll E of Douglas Pennant , Baron de y , arl E M llesmere , essrs . Lambton , George Drake ,

Mr W Gra z ebrooke . , Campbell , Harrison , alter

R. Hon . and Lady D . Long , Grosvenor ,

M P a r h . e e t essrs Fuller , , and last , but by no E Elm means least , Captain dward Pennell “ ” F ld M hirst ( Brooksby of The ie ). any

but more there be , , alas treacherous memory

s on . deserts me , and I must pas 5 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

In these busy times , when the vast majority of men are engaged in some occupation re quiring constant attendance in London , it may not be out of place to indicate a few of the countries which can be conveniently m reached from there on the hunting orning . Between the pleasure of hunting from home and hunting from London , I think there can be hardly any comparison drawn . We should

t unfortu all like to hun from home ; but ,

’ na tel y, we don t all get what we like in

’ this bad world , and if we can t hunt from

’ home , many can snatch a day s enj oyment here and there ‘ by using the iron horse as a covert hack .

’ ’ u R The Q een s Staghounds , Lord othschild s , and the Mid - Kent are all the more easily accessible on account of the later hour at

’ which they meet and 1 2 O clock re — sp ectiv ely and may well be reached without the awful ordeal of getting up in the middle ” E of the night . The ssex Staghounds , which o g three days a fortnight , mostly over the

Roothin s W g , and the arnham , in the Crawley

5 2 I n Sca rle t a nd Sill:

and Hertfordshire , are good packs for the Londoner in point of distance ; but of all those mentioned above , undoubtedly the best country is that over which Lord Rothschild holds sway . Leighton or Aylesbury will be found most convenient for hunting with this

Mid- excellent pack , whilst the Kent trysts — are mostly within reach of Maidstone the W kennels are at ateringbury , close to that

’ — I ld N r Mr. e town o Tonbridge . She eave s S (the Essex tag) kennels are at Ingatestone , and his pack is equally well met from Ohelms

r n l o O . ford gar Bi lericay , Ingatestone , and Chelmsford are handy stations for the Essex E Union , whilst the ssex (Fox) country lies more adj acent to Harlow (kennels)and Ongar . l Horsham , Crawley , and Steyning , give faci i ties both for the Warnham Stag and Crawley

- d and Horsham Fox houn s , and the West Kent may be met from Farningham and Penshurst

—the latter is by far the better country , but with a train service which does not always N accommodate the metropolitan imrod . And now a word or two as to the class Fox-hunting 5 3 of country met with whilst following these R ’ . l packs With Lord othschi d s , the glorious Vale of Aylesbury lies stretched before you ; i all grass , practically ; fa r fences , with not a

You few brooks want a j umper here , and a galloper as well ; but it is by no means a

of very big country . Compared with parts

N or h orthamptonshire , wit the average tract galloped over by , say , the Blackmoor Vale or

Ca ttestock one , it is an easy to ride over ; and certainly I know none more pleasant .

’

The Queen s varies very much indeed . Some

first- — parts are rate , and others well , are not The Mid - Kent get some beautiful pieces of jumping and galloping ground in the vicinity of M W but on aidstone and ateringbury , the

Farningham side it is not at all good . In the former part plenty of grass and flying fences in the latter , flint stones , cold clay , and sticky fallow ; while the immense woodlands make things even worse for the W est Kent Fox hounds than they are for the more artificial

- W t sport of stag hunting . i h the Crawley and

n St Horsham Fox , and the War ham ag , a most 5 4 I n S ca rlet a nd S ills

excellent sporting country can be ridden over ,

of h o u though there is lots ploug , and y must

’ Mr take the rough with the smooth . . Garth s and the Old Berkely I have never hunted h S with . It must be confessed t at the urrey W packs , and also the est Kent , have a bad country as a whole . Many is the day I have

- flint S spent with them , toiling over tones and

l of c ay fallows , climbing hills like the side a house , and threading almost interminable woodlands , in return for the very minimum

- of sport . Fruit growing and wire also seri o sl u y militate against hunting here .

But as I said before , the West Kent get their compensation when they meet in the Penshurst country . The East Kent is an awful tract , except just in a very few E parts . I have treated Of the ssex district

of in the early portion this chapter , and the E two foxhound packs , the ssex and Essex

Union , are turned out and hunted in really i smart fashion . To those who l ke a ditch country — perhaps it is rather an acquired — ta ste nothing better could be recommended Fox- hunting 5 5 than to try your luck here But I would remind all birds of passage that the Essex

of does not advertise , and expects the trifle a

’ thirty guineas subscription fro m those out

of side its boundaries . In fact , all the packs we have just been dealing with as easily M accessible from the etropolis , only two the Queen ’ s and Lord Rothschild ’ s— are non

subscription ones . I should never advise a man to keep his hunters in London . The eternal bother and ever - presen t risk of the boxing to and from

the scene of action on hunting days , and the almost impossibility of properly exercising d horses in town , are rawbacks so great , as to more than counterbalance the admitted advantage of keeping them (and your groom) under your own eye .

But if this plan is adopted , always see that your man starts in plenty of time for the

the departure platform , for a slip upon greasy paving may be the result of an extra

And sharp trot to catch his train . after

’ Off hunting is over , don t ride straight to the railway station a nd put your orse in his box ; attend to his wants first He should

ta ! ss always be put into some s b if po ible ,

d a nd h : a of oa t wispe over , given eit er p il

or h d r eded b a meal gruel , a lig t fee , p y

I f a l no be little chilled water . oatme t to ha d h d o f c o mm n r wil , a double an ful flou l

he Th b wa r a nd t . serve purpose en , ein m

not so I l ‘ lV to ta e comfortable , he will be k harm on the return j ourne v a s h ro uld whe n x h bo ed ome straight away .

o f h huI rs th As to the system iring . I ink

ble ssm w h d if a man is still young , it goo

ta with nerves , and can ke a toss equa nimit do ’ rs y, that he might far o e than adopt this plan . I have V t plea sa nt

“ ' of the hu r a nd memories j obbed , I

’ ' don t know that the average h lin g ha s put me down Oftener than my vn ho rses

~ h . t w h e h ave done I am qui e a are , ver . t at this is not an universal e xp e rie n O ut of h h dd many ired ones I ave ri en , over a ll

t of nb r sor s countries , I can only ren e get

one ba dl i r n ting serious fall , and y I ing o e

5 6 I n Sca rlet a nd Sile railway station and put your horse in his box ; attend to his wants first . He should always be put into some stable , if possible ,

a il of wisped over , and given either a p oat

or meal gruel , a light feed , preceded by a I f little chilled water . oatmeal is not to be

n had , a double ha dful of common flour will serve the purpose . Then , being warm and

SO to comfortable , he will not be likely take harm on the return j ourney as he would when boxed home straight away .

As the of to system hiring hunters , I think

is still if a man young , blessed with good “ ” nerves , and can take a toss with equa nimit y, that he might do far worse than adopt this plan . I have very pleasant “ ” of memories the j obbed hunter , and I don ’ t know that the average “ hireling ” has put me down Oftener than my own horses

. t have done I am qui e aware , however , that

u this is not an universal experience . O t of many hired ones I have ridden , and over all

of sorts countries , I can only remember get

one one ting serious fall , and badly injuring

5 8 I n Sca rle t a nd S ilt

o f by a dear Old friend mine , the horse fell

ost- morte m down dead with me . A p revealed the fact that fatty degeneration o f the heart existed , and although , no doubt , the sharp

of gallop we had just had , and the exertion

not still j umping fences , did improve matters , the horse might well have died even had he been standing in his stable at the time .

n Taken on the whole , I thi k I feel happier

’ when riding over fences on horses that don t cost any money ! There is such a glorious feeling of irresponsibility about the thing then .

Without exception , the very fastest hunter

I ever owned was a half- worn - out steeple chase horse , which I bought for fifteen sovereigns . He was fired all round and “ ” dicky in front ; but there seemed to be

n nothi g he would turn his head from , and it never gave him any trouble to gallop down every other horse in the field . He was a

one very hard puller , and gave me nasty fall , simply because I could not hold him .

Every hunting man probably remembers , — Fox hunting 5 9

n or . with fo dness , his two three best runs The two most enj oyable ones I ever had i l were in no s ngle respect a ike , and yet I

n must bracket them together . O e was a very fast twenty - fiv e minutes with the Graf ton N ortha m , Over as fine a country as even p

n f n fiv e to shire can boast o . I was ridi g a

’ - Old n year , a recent purchase ; and when o e s ” latest carries you well , is not the enj oy ment always doubled ? We simply raced all

n sa w the way , and fi ally the fox rolled over

’ in the open , under our horses noses . The t o her run , which I love to look back upon , was a grand gallop of nearly two hours in the Blackmoor Vale . This , also , was very

f or fast an hour and a half, or a little more ,

: our perhaps from then , fox gradually ran

out us Of scent , and we finally lost him . It was quite a select few which got through

our that gallop , and the way beaten horses ” or ha s chanced their last three four fences ,

On since given me food for reflection . e of the survivors ( I think it was Captain Luttrell) came down a crumpler at the very 6 0 I n Sca rlet a nd S ill:

off last fence we j umped , but got cheaply , as

Mr. M luck would have it . erthyr Guest , I remember , was right in front during the

of . whole , or nearly the whole , the run A

M of truly wonderful man , the aster the Blackmoor Vale : surely he must share with

' the Marquis of W orcester the distinction Of hunting more than any man in the kingdom .

Six days a week is , I believe , the Marquis

’ W n of orcester s ordi ary allowance , and he is undoubtedly one of the finest amateur hunts men in the world ; and to hunt a big country like the Duke of Beaufort’ s is no small tax

’ upon a man s physical powers , to say nothing of his skill .

- E Hunting , and indeed all high class nglish sport , has had no better friend , no more D splendid patron , than the uke of Beaufort , and as a huntsman he is unsurpassed . In every way he has set a grand example f or true sportsmen to follow , whilst among his neighbours and tenantry he is simply

N O of worshipped . finer type an English — — nobleman in every sense of the word ever Fox- h unting 6 I

Of n lived than the present Lord Badminto , and the turf has sustained a great loss indeed

his by retirement. His Grace , however , still takes a lively interest in racing , and is a

- regular attendant at covert Side . For a man

his who , this year has celebrated golden wedding , the way in which he slips

- is over his own stone wall country marvellous , and would puzzle most men of half his age Al to imitate . though the blue and white — jacket will be sorely missed on the race course , the blue and buff livery will still be to the

- s f r fore at covert side . May it be o o many

of a year to come , and the best good luck go with it I

of In the class amateur huntsmen , Lord

Willoughby de Broke takes high rank , and to his undoubted skill he , like Lord Worcester , adds the invaluable quality of being a grand horseman . Mr . Fellowes , whom I have had

of the pleasure following with the Shotesham , N in orfolk , always struck me as a beautiful

ot huntsman , and , at a very advanced age g over a by no means small country in a 6 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Site

“ surprising manner . What a quartette of ” grand sportsmen ! must be the thought of a ll hunting men when the names of the Duke of

t . Beaufor , Mr George Lane Fox of the Bram “ ” M - - be ham oor , the ever to revered Parson

R Mr . Jack ussell , and . Fellowes are mentioned I supp ose it would be a safe thing to sa y

his his that a hound is at best in third season ,

is that , when he is about four years Old ; but it by no means follows that he will not be as good , with ordinary luck , when he is six . The first failing usually noticeable about ” a hound that is getting on in years is that his of turn speed fails him . If he has been a leading hound , he will now , perhaps , drop back into the ruck in running , especially if the pace be very good ; soon after he will d m . begin to tail , and ust be drafte A constant supply of puppies must be had recourse to to supply the places of the

o f worn out ; and it is always , course , necessary to breed many more than you

so are likely to want , that only the best may be retained at the close of the cub

64 I n Sca rlet a nd Sile

m syste , and I have Often thought that instead

’ of meeting at 1 1 or 1 2 O clock at the end

Of d the regular hunting season , when the ays

out are drawing and evenings are fairly light , that a much later hour for the tryst would b w E produce far etter sport . To ards aster time the ground is frequently as dry as a turnpike road , and we often find that hounds only begin to run j ust a s we are leaving off and going home . S T AG H O U N D S

I T would hardly be using the language of exaggeration to say that f or one man who has crossed Exmoor in pursuit of the wild red deer , at least a thousand are familiar with the chase of the animal who is driven up to

m is the eet , and when the fun over returns to his home in his own carriage “ like a ” - gentleman , as a well known sporting writer once put it . But if we wish for the poetry of o the chase , if we w uld conjure up visions of D of Midsummer ian fair , Hippolyta in

’ “ N ight s D rea m when speaking of the hounds ” of Sparta , these words

N e ve r did I he ar Suc l nt chidin f or be e th e e h gal a g , sid s grov s, The k e th e f unta n e e e n ne s i s , o i s, v ry r gio ar ’ Seem d all one mutual c ry I ne ve r heard So mu c c uc we et t un e si al a dis ord , s h s h d r — we must hie us to the West substituting , 6s 6 6 I n Sca rlet a nd S ilk

alack and alas , in these prosa ic times , the Great Western Railway for the winged heels M — Of ercury and , by the borders of the

S sea or evern , pursue the timid hind her antlered lord across the heather and the moor . That the beauty of the scene has much

m of to do with the char the sport here , goes without saying . The lovely Devonshire coombes , the vales of Somerset , the magni

ficent Of moorland , with its wealth purple

of ua ntoc ks heather , the wild beauty Q the Q , “ and the picturesque setting of the Bristol Channel cannot fail to inspire the naturalist

Of us side with j oy , even at the moment that the “ sportsman half ” is looking askance at the terrible roughness of the country that must be ridden over in order to see anything . h . t e of the chase itself The rocky ground , uncompromising hills , the long distances to be covered , and , withal , the pace that will “ enable you to be in front , must all be borne in mind when selecting a horse f or this work . He must be thoroughly stout a nd clever , have feet as hard as the nether Sta glzounds 7

millstone ; he must be able to go a great pace , be short coupled , and possess undeniable shoulders . With such a nag under him , a ” man may harden his heart , and prepare

’ f or certainly a long , probably a good , day s sport . When the fortunes of the Devon and Somer l w o . set Staghounds were at a very ebb , Mr

a nd Fenwick Bisset stepped into the breach , " in spite of di I cultie s which would have deterred many another man , he held the M astership , with infinite credit to himself and benefit to the country , for no less than

- twenty seven years . Old Jack Babbage , who

Mr wa s a had been huntsman to . Carew, p

Mr pointed to carry the horn when . Bisset assumed the command , and Arthur Heal was

- in. whipper Good as Babbage was , it seems to be generally admitted that Arthur Heal was better , when , in due course , he became huntsman to the famous pack ; and it takes a clever man to do himself a nd his employers j ustice I n this position ; a much more trying one t , I venture to think , than that of hun s 6 8 I n S ca rlet a nd S ilh man to an ordinary provincial pack of stag m - di ul i s f or fox hounds . The natural c t e o the country could be successfully encountered only by a huntsman thoroughly conversant with his duties ; and it is not awarding too high praise to sa y that Arthur Heal was “ ” always the right man in the right place . In addition to his other undeniable qua lifica tions , his light weight must always have told in the long and trying days which are the

Mr. rule rather than the exception here . Fenwick Bisset himself laboured under the disadvantage Of riding over twenty stone , ” but , in spite of this , he was always forward . Of course , the class of horse he rode was very different to that capable of carrying his huntsman ; and the prices he paid for his w - D n eight carriers were , as the famed omi ie ” would have put it , prodigious .

D 1 8 80 Mr n In ecember , . Bisset havi g re

E M a nd signed , Lord brington became aster ,

Mr. Bisset generously presented the pack

A n to the hunt . bout this time o e of its

t Mr. warmest suppor ers , Granville Somerset , Sta ghound 6 9

C. . t Q , with whom I was , for a ime , in

’ chambers at King s Bench Walk , died , and two years later saw the death of another

Old of im revered follower the hunt , the “ ” R Old mortal Parson Jack ussell . Bab

too bage , , was gone , and gaps such as these are hard to fill . As after events proved , no

Mr better substitute for . Bisset could have E been found than Lord brington , who con tinue d to show the same good sport which was always associated with his predecessor .

An d now on let us imagine ourselves , a bright morning in late August , jogging along in the warm and genial sunshine to meet

Ha wkc ombe the hounds at Head , and here N D “ the orth evonian rank and fashion , to “ say nothing of the N orth Devonian rank ” and file , are assembled in force . Without

La rkba rrow delay a move is made for , where

’ out by the lonely shepherd s cottage , right upon the moor , the pack is kennelled . In due course the huntsman makes his selection “ ” of f or those hounds he requires tufters , some five couple in all , and in company with 7 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt the harbourer and the Master trots away

one in direction , whilst the whip gallops Off in another . After a long wait we hear that

Ba d worth a stag has crossed g y, and has gone away over Brendon . The pack is

on. t hastily unkennelled , and laid Scen is

- bad at first , and the great , solemn looking

2 5 - inch hounds can only puzzle out the line

. a s o Ba d worth slowly Then , they g over g y h Hill , the pace improves , and they run s arply down over the heather to Farley Water . O R ver Cheriton idge , they go by Hoar Oak and the Chains , across Lynton Common . All

on this time horses are good , sound ground , “ ” and can gallop on clean and hard going .

As they cross the West Lynn , hounds are travelling at best pace and heading for Wood

of n barrow . The aspect the chase the quickly

be undergoes an entire change , for whereas forehand we could gallop freely , we are now reduced to scrambling through mire and dirt ,

one almost hock deep , and have to follow

. no w another like a flock of Sheep Woe be , , to the budding hero who would try a short

7 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt

of He was a veteran , and in point freshness “ ” at the finish looked like giving points to many of the dead -beat horses which had been toiling along in his wake .

of But having spoken the poetry , let us

of - not forget the prose stag hunting , and I cheerfully acknowledge the very real enj oy ment that has fallen to me whilst following the carted animal , in various countries , good ,

indifl r n e e t . bad , and The four best - kno wn packs of staghounds — ’ R ’ the Queen s , Lord othschild s , the Essex , — and the Mid - Kent are all within easy rail R m of London . oughly speaking , uch Of the

’ E of R Queen s and the ssex , all Lord oths

’ of the child s , and about half Kentish country ,

of A is good . The Vale ylesbury is as near

a s : ra cti perfection possible it is all grass , p cally , with beautiful flying fences , over which

first- no rate hunter , until he tires , at least , ought to come to grief. Speaking for myself, I would sooner take an average run and two average falls over the Vale , than the best of f runs , minus the tumbles , in an indi ferent Sta ghounds 7 3

“ country . The fields are enormous , but ,

of generally speaking , there is plenty room

W wa s at the fences . hen I last there , and following this splendid pack , which , by the

1 8 way , was started in 3 9 , Fred Cox was d still hunting them , and espite the manifold m injuries he has sustained in falls innu erable , which have made his seat on a horse cramped and unnatural , was always with his hounds .

M Howc utt fi ark was then rst whip , and a bolder cross - country horseman I never want

now to see . He was going then , and goes , as hard as we happy youths did a t the age of “ ’ eighteen or twenty , when we feared nothin

’ c os we knowed as Old Jem Hills ,

Of the huntsman the Heythrop , used to put it . Some fine runs fall to the lot of the con

of stant follower the Essex Staghounds , espe

a ll R hin s c i y when they fly across the open oot g . The plough is light riding—almost as light as grass—and it would take a very big “ field ” indeed to cause any crowding at the big Open “ ” You ditches . can have them pretty much where you like , and there is no need to follow 74 I n Sca rle t a nd Silk

" She ield N even so good a pilot as Mr . eave , the Master and Huntsman , would be . As a

of matter fact , small fields are the almost invariable rule in this country ; indeed , a few additional followers (subscribers !) would be an unquestionable advantage to the pack . Every Tuesday almost always in the Rooth — ings and each alternate Saturday , are their

Roothin hunting days . The g ditches are — wh formidable more , as a former ip to this

E a N a . p ck , Mr dw rd eave , was saying to me ,

il or h a ay two since , from their dept than their breadth ; for a broad ditch may Often be negotiated by scrambling half- way down

Roothin s before jumping . The g is , probably , the nearest approach to a flying country that

Essex can show . To the Londoner casting ” about for a happy hunting ground , I should certainly say hunt in Essex ” rather than in

or Kent Surrey , and as I said before , there

E a d is , with the ssex Staghounds , the great

of vantage small fields and plenty of room . I have had som e fine runs with the Mid h d Kent Stag oun s from time to time , and Sta ghounds 7 5 parts of their country are very good to ride over . They have not yet discovered a greater traveller amongst their deer than the famous M ” oonlight , which after being enlarged about

- on or not mid day , ran , at all events was

’ taken , until eight o clock that night But it is no unusual thing for a run of twenty to thirty miles to take place over the Maidstone side of the country , which is certainly their best . S The urrey Staghounds , over whose destinies

Tom N icka lls of N utfield Mr . , , has for very w many years presided , have always sho n good sport when the country has afforded them

t . oppor unity The demon builder , alas is

on always their track , and on too many occa sions , each season , they have to contend with i ’ i d culties. f or serious But all that , I have enjoyed some capital spins with them over S the steep urrey hills , and live in hopes of doing so again .

’ The Surrey Farmers staghounds , which E hunt the district around psom , Surbiton ,

Ewell , and Leatherhead , and have their

of kennels at Chessington , near the place 7 6 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt

that good sportsman George Bird , have just

of M been deprived by death their new aster ,

’ Mr D Av i dor . g . By his death the hunt has M sustained a great loss . He had been aster but a very short time , and had assumed the

“ reins of O c e at a time when such a man was badly wanted . To go on into the adjoining county of

S one ussex , may get some fine sporting runs

W n with the ar ham , and either Dorking (where the kennels are) or Horsham are very acces W sible places for these hounds . ith the

’ Enfield Chase (Colonel Somerset s) I never

of had the pleasure going , but should imagine that they must be rather cramped f or room . A somewhat erroneous notion seems to

’ prevail with regard to a deer s sagacity . Mr .

orrocks J , we know, likens the hunting of the

“ ’ ” o f deer to the unting a hass , but , as a

of matter fact , a deer is by no means a fool . Witness the clever way , for instance , in which a hunted stag will go and push up another to take his place before hounds . When faddists talk of the cruelty of stag Staghounds 7 7

sufl erin s hunting , and the terrible g under

in of gone by the quarry his fear the hounds , they are either speaking in guileless igno

or rance , else doing their best to belittle the fame of the late Ananias . I cannot call to mind a single instance Of the ordinary paddock - fed deer Showing any fear of hounds many an one calmly starts grazing when

to first enlarged , and has be actually driven

so away . Even , they usually start at a very casual trot : it is well authenticated that in a certain hunt the deer used to j og out to

’ the meet beside the huntsman s horse , and in the middle of the pack ; run his line , and

o then return t his paddock in the same way . “ And if the cruelty criers , who are con sta ntl n R y runni g a tilt against the oyal pack , would only come out and ride to the finish

off with staghounds , then get their horses

ta ckle the deer of and , probably some their sympathy would be reserved for themselves “ ” “ ” of on instead slopping over the victim .

A stag is Often a nasty customer to collar , “ n to o and I have see hounds , and men , , for 7 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk warded in relentless fashion by a wicked one at the end of a long and fatiguing gallop . One particularly amusing scene I witnessed some eight or nine seasons back . “ Our or stag had soiled , taken to the water ,

- wa s in a mill dam . The water shallow , and the stag set his hind quarters against the

l f or mi l wall , and with lowering eye waited the coming struggle . Hounds , whose valour exceeded their discretion , plunged in , and half swam , half waded , towards the quarry .

One after the other they retired howling , as

u ofl they were str ck and beaten , the stag

ur seeming to enj oy the fun . O second whip whom we will call Tommy— made a lasso of the thong of his crop , and leaning as far

his as he could over the wall , dropped noose

’ securely over the animal s head . At that moment another hound attacked the foe in

foe front , and the said suddenly lowered his head to give him a warm reception . Poor

’ Tommy , who hadn t allowed for this action, wa s forcibly j erked Off his precarious perch

n v o the wall , and fell neck and crop o er

8 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Sil/e

perhaps , more attractions than foxhounds .

To such an one , a blank day is a more serious matter than it is to the votary of the chase

own whose time is his , and who gets his two

or . t ou three days a week Wi h the stag , y are

of sure your gallop ; and in addition to this , — the meet is generally at a later hour a n additional advantage not to be underrated by

or the Londoner business man . A bigger hound and a bigger quarry , coupled with a

a s stronger scent , makes the pace , a rule , much faster than it is with foxhounds ; but even the chase of the lordly stag gives way ,

o f of in point speed , to that the gay red

— not herring which , by the way , is a herring at all , but , in most cases , a rabbit skin well “ ” n sce ted with aniseed , or other unholy compound . If a man wants pace alone in following hounds , undoubtedly he should place the drag first , stag second , and fox

- n third . But , given a good fox hunti g country , I much doubt whether many people would

or . A be found following either drag stag y, there’ s the rub ! ” Fate does not plant us all Staghounds 8 I in a first- rate fox - hunting country ; and if she did , the fickle j ade would probably uproot us just as we had got spoilt for any other

se e As far as I have been able to , a deer ,

still of or whilst full running , cares little nothing a s to whether he runs up wind or

- down . In fox hunting you can always cal

on culate , with more or less certainty , your quarry following out certain vulpine rules under given circumstances ; but , according to — my observation and I merely , of course , give it in the most humble manner f or what it is worth— there is no calculating upo n how a deer will run . They seem to

f or have no preference hill over vale , for ” y n or open down over sti fe ced country , vic e versé d . I have seen deer do ge about on an Open down , and run perfectly straight over a cramped country thickly interspersed

’ You with formidable obstacles . don t know

so where to have them in this respect , the

’ very best plan is to follow Assheton Smith s

o w example, and g into every field ith the bounds ! H A R R I E R S

U PLE UN CO at the timorous flying hare , says Shakespeare , and in no parts of these Islands has the inj unction been more largely W obeyed than in the est country , where the

- sport is , to day , more popular than ever. But ba rriers are to be found pretty well

now distributed all over the country , and the chase of the hare is by no means a thing to be looked down upon . It is often said that harriers should not be allowed to hunt fox , and I think to that saying might be

- added , fox and stag hunters should not be ” allowed to hunt hare , because when they

a s do so comparisons , which , we know , are ” l odious , wi l inevitably be made , and always

v to the disad antage of the slower , if more scientific , sport .

AS a school , no less for young horses than

8 4 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt him on one occasion that I got a curious fall , for galloping at a fence my girths flew , and so did I ! whilst almost at the same moment my horse slipped up on his side and measured his length on the ground . Harriers ought to be encouraged to spread d themselves well when drawing a fiel , for many a hare almost requires to be kicked u p ; they are real adepts at lying low , and “ ” “

. too sitting tight The field , , may be

Of considerable service here , especially in beating up hedgerows , for harriers are none

on A too keen doing this for themselves . hare will rarely give much sport before

January , and in that month and February I have occasionally seen them make a four or

in five mile point , and go a great pace , too ,

Of . stead constantly ringing , as is their wont

of ba rriers Beckford says , in speaking , that you should never exceed twenty couple ” in the field ; but in most countries little more than half that number will be found to " su ic e ; they run better together , and there

h of is less c ance their foiling the ground . As H a rriers 8 5 to the sort of hound best adapted to show

’ di icult sport , it is rather to describe it , and far harder still to breed it . The small fox beagle , the foxhound , and what the above d “ named great authority escribes as the large ,

- t slow hun ing harrier , must be judiciously blended in order to produce the likeliest kind of hound . About nineteen inches is the best size . Of course an even keener sense of smell , less pace and dash , and more patience

f lr su i d are required than ce in the foxhoun . To over - match a hare is to at once spoil your own sport . e When once a har is found , huntsman and

field cannot be too quiet .

Le t a ll be u e h sh d, N c m u u no f nt c o be e O la o r lo d , ra i j y h ard, ’ Le st th e wild hound run gadding o er the plain ” U nt ct b e nor e u c n ce ra a l , h ar yo r hidi g voi ,

sings Somerville , the poet Of the Chase , and

f or one I may add that such an as he describes ,

“ an early “ hanging day ” might well be fixed ” A policy o f masterly inac tivity is a useful t hing at a check , when hounds should be 8 6 I n Sca rlet a nd S ilh

severely left alone . Speaking to them merely distracts their attention from the business in

a nd Of hand , gets their heads up . course if “ ” ’ the one fault is a long , the huntsman s assistance will be needed . It is impossible to lay down any rule for making a cast ; the circumstances of the moment will be the best guide to a man in this . It is notorious that a hare will always run at his best and

e or straight st when in a strange country , in

a nd . a mist, where hares are scarce Up wind or down seems to make no difference to them ; and in this respect they resemble a

v er / unlike deer , and are y a fox , which , it is well known , almost invariably goes away down wind . As it is a common thing with

or is hares to either cross run up roads , it most desirable that in every pack there should be a few hounds who can hunt on — such ground a peculiar and distinct gift. Years ago I had many a good day with

’ Mr . Henry Lubbock s harriers , in the West

Kent country , and with the redoubtable “ ” Jack at the head of a fl a irs we sa w the

8 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt

Harrier and Beagle Show is a step in the

a nd right direction , will do much to improve

o f - the status hare hunting , and the method

‘

Of kennel management , in the near future .

sa First catch your hare , goes the Old y ing , but having caught her , the moot point “ ” of what to do with her arises . There is certainly no need to give the quarry to the pack , and it may do far more good in the interests of hare - hunting to present it to the farmer on whose land it was found the "" inside is quite su icient to distribute to the

AS hounds . to the argument that hounds lose their keenness when deprived of the

“ s olia o ima p p , I would ask , How about ? hounds hunting the carted deer , or a drag D epend upon it , hounds will be equally keen ,

or if they are worth their salt , with without

of the spoils victory to crunch . Some huntsmen are great sinners f or the

of sake blood , and wink at their hounds chopping hares . This should be prevented

is at any cost , as nothing more annoying to — the field and the hare H a rriers 8 9 A hare in running will generally describe

a circle , its size varying with circumstances ,

of such as the nature the country , the state

own & c . of her vigour , Puss is by no manner

of means a fool , and the cunning and shifts

a hunted one will display are astonishing ,

such as , for instance , doubling back on her own footprints ; and when this trick is

on practised a highroad or dry footpath , it

i fl iv s very e e ct e in bothering hounds . After doubling they Often make a most astound till ing spring , and wait hounds have passed , then creep quietly back the same way they

came . There are few things more extraordinary to me than the fact that when drawing for a

m she hare there see s , as long as lies quietly

no scent f or in her form , to be ; , have we

fl not a ll sni in , at times , watched hounds g about within a yard of the terrified quarry , or actually passing over her form without

he r ? one of winding Scent , as we know , is

of the hidden mysteries the chase , which not even so great an authority as the Duke Of 9 0 I n Sca rlet a nd S ilk

Beaufort has fathomed for , in the Badminton “ on : um book hunting , he writes Scent it questionably is which enables the hounds to f of ollow the line the fox , but from what — portion of the frame it emanates whether

on or it sometimes lies the ground , rises a few inches above it , and what are the atm ospheric conditions most favourable to — its development seem to be vexed ques tions . It has been suggested that the

of solution to the case the hare in her form , is that the animal gives out no scent until she begins to travel . Be this as it may , it

a s n is well known that a hare is si king , when before hounds , scent gets perceptibly less , until it very nearly dies out altogether .

A M of ba rriers friend of mine , a aster , told me that he bought a useful hunter at the hammer for fifty guineas , and rode him nine seasons after which , thinking he would like

of a souvenir the Old horse , he had him painted . His groom was very pleased with “ the likeness . and asked his master how much

9 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk The artist told me he should never forget the look the man gave him . He said nothing , but there was no mistaking the language of

Mr Ma cWhirter the eye . It plainly said that . was telling a stately lie ! The bare notion of a picture of the bull making the same money as the bull itself was altogether too much for Highland credulity ! D RAG H O U N D S

of I F the saying Montaigne , the wise French “ N philosopher , be true , that othing gives us more satisfaction than to witness the mis “ of our fortunes friends , surely the moving ” accidents by flood and field almost insep a r “ ” Of able from the pursuit the red herring , must be pleasant to witness for those prudent folk who keep out of the hurly - burly It may be open to objections— what sport is

— of n not but all the wholesome , inspiriti g ,

- - rough and tumble games for a horseman , I

t - think nothing bea s drag hunting , and I have had as long an experience of it as most people .

or Now , a drag pack should be well done ,

is not done at all ; that to say , if men bring out of a lot hounds j ust fit for the halter , a nd see them stringing all over the place 93 94 I n Sca rlet a nd S ill:

in fact , your pack being in several parishes — at one and the same time if you turn out dressed as though huntsman and whips were going to kill rats in a barn and above all , if you seek to emulate the example of Old

- D Bill Bean , the arch trespasser , as the ruid m calls him , then the whole thing beco es a

ou n m farce , and y make e e ies in the neigh bourhood not f or , only dragging , but , much

e . more s rious still , for hunting If I were asked what is the first and most important thing in establishing and keeping up a

n drag pack , I should a swer unhesitatingly , M a tactful aster . Farmers , landowners , and Masters of hounds all have to be propitiated and kept friendly ; a bad M aster of drag hounds will wreck the whole concern in a

n si gle season . A model M aster Of draghounds is Colonel

’ Y who W orke , has now ruled at ool wich for several seasons past . The district is very fortunate in retaining his services for so long a time . In the following account

’ which I originally wrote for B a ileys M a ga

9 6 I n S ca rlet a nd Silt

a s of manner , and such names those the

R of three brothers ussell , true type the fine

- Old English gentleman farmer ; Cook , who then held the Government lands by the

of side the river at Plumstead , and in days gone by used to ride with the drag ; Christie ,

Ma M y, axwell , and Colonel Forster will be held in affectionate esteem as long as the M l hunt has its being . any of the ines then available— and the drag extended its Opera — tions then , as now , as far as Sevenoaks are

or now partly wholly built over , and what used to be one of the best in the way of big

Ash fencing , the Burnt line , is now entirely covered by bricks and mortar. The number of hounds has never varied very materially ;

1 at the outset there were about 5 5 couples , D ’ drafts from the uke Of Beaufort s , Bramham ’ & M c . oor , Belvoir , Lord Portsmouth s , , whilst the present strength of the establishment is

Mr 1 . 45 couples , including contributions from

’ ’ - Philli s s Lort p , Lord Portsmouth s , the Good wood , and others . The kennels at first were

the R m E built against e ount stablishment , and D raghounds 9 7

of n were very good their ki d , including

- benches , feeding yard , playground , boiling

house , and yard for isolating any hounds

when necessary . The present kennels con sist of a detached building standing in the

of R E rear the emount stablishment , and con

taining still better accommodation .

’

Mr. Colonel Lynes , following Thacker s

of good example , was always in the habit feeding the hounds himself at four o ’ clock

each day , and during the period of his Mastership he only missed doing so on three D w occasions . espite his care , ho ever , they were nearly going without their Christmas dinner on one occasion . The gallant Colonel

t to was to walk out wi h a friend Southend ,

six on about miles from Woolwich , to dine

Da Christmas y, and as they had to pass

Of within two hundred yards the kennels ,

see wa s they just looked in to that all well . On going there they found the hounds locked up , but as they appeared restless , Colonel

- Lynes tried to find the kennel man , but without avail . Thereupon they climbed over G 9 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

the palings , found no fire in the copper , and

so no feed ready , without more ado the “ M his For aster and friend , handsome Jack S ” ter, the sobriquet by which he was known

set to throughout the army , to prepare them m a eal , fed them , and then proceeded on their j ourney just as darkness f ell. Before getting half a mile they came across a drunken man lying in the middle Of Shooters’ Hill R oad , and when they went like good Samari tans to pull him out of the way of being run

- 10 . over , and behold the missing kennel man The first words he uttered were unfortunate

on ones for himself. He said recognising “ ’ ” ! As Colonel Lynes , I ve fed the hounds

- Colonel Lynes , although the best hearted man

’ in the world , doesn t wear wings or travel

sa eth about with a portable halo , deponent y not what then took place , but the proceedings did not commence with prayer . At that period the Master had to find his

’ own Whip , and Colonel Lynes s head groom turned them to him during his tenure of

no

0 cc . The only attempt at a hunt uniform

100 I n Sca rlet a nd S ilh

F ’ She first Windsor run was from Skindle s

six to Eton , by a zigzag line of about miles , and the field numbered no less than sixty , including many officers of the Household

of Brigade . It was a grand spin , and plenty grief resulted , the Master getting a fall at the fence before the check . Lord Charles Ker was the worst sufferer on the list of the N wounded , as orthern Light , the steeplechase

ba d horse , gave him a very cropper indeed . A notable run about this time was one in W the oolwich district , upon an occasion when the officers of the 9th Lancers (stationed at

of A Hounslow) were the guests the R .

wa s of There a lot j ealous riding that day ,

one of and when finds , in the list those

- following the pack , such well known names ” “ ” inter a lia as , , Sugar Candy , Lord Bill

Beresford , Grant , Dick Clayton (killed at ‘ — M Ca lm ont of th polo in India), all the 9 “ Lancers Lynes , Thacker , and Daddy

of Annesley , the Gunners , such a state of i things s hardly astonishing .

two in That season , during gallops the D raghounds 1 O 1

W H n o . N indsor country , the Greville ugent , better known to the race - going portion Of the “ ” public as Mr . St . James , a most brilliant

- steeplechase rider , had the ill luck to break

’ two horses legs , a very curious circumstance .

Two — t Mrs ladies Lady Julia Follet and . R ichardson (afterwards Lady Parker), a sister — Of Captain Harford came out pretty f re h quently with t e pack .

R. A. Lieutenant Custance , , assumed the

0 ic e reins Of when Colonel Lynes resigned .

of Each year , course , the builder made fresh

on n inroads the existing lines , but , evertheless ,

n the hunt was carried o much as usual .

Ot or old her lines were found , the ones

to slightly deviated from , in order avoid those parts no longer available ; and good spins have been had of recent years on the

or Essex side of the river , besides two three

(by permission) in the Old Surrey country . The best— if that is synonymous with biggest

lines now are Bromley , starting from the house of that capital sportsman and good

Of Mr friend the hunt , . Payne ; Farningham , 1 0 2 I n Sca rlet a nd S ild which includes in its second half the land

R h not of Mr . John ussell ; Motting am , quite s ! o good , alas as it was when we galloped over its big fences Of eight or ten years ago ; “ ” of and the home line , commencing out

’ R d Welha ll the Shooters Hill oa , skirting and R ’ Mr . George ussell s land , and finishing , as to the first half, in the Crown Wood , about midway between Eltham and Black Fen . It should be mentioned that the Mottingham track is now extended by making the finish on the famous Middle Park Stud Farm , where

Bl nkir n the Messrs . e o have bred so many

’ good winners in times gone by . A soldier s pack must necessarily know a constant supply

’ M c on of fresh asters , and , during the writer s “ ” ne c tion with it, such good men and true as Captain Allsopp , Maj or Hickman , Captain “ Bill Russell (killed by his horse falling on effre s him in India), Captain J y , Captain

Mr M Saunders , . ackenzie , and last , but by

M now Y no means least , ajor , Colonel orke , M f the present aster , have all held O fice , the latter resuming the reins for the second time

1 0 4 I n Sca rlet a nd Sile of the Gunners (red and blue) in the form of a blue coat with red collar , than which nothing could look neater against the ortho d x o white breeches and black velvet cap . d They hunted then three ays a fortnight , but soon after changed it to twice a week , as now. The present fixtures are made for

Tuesdays and Fridays . Very few claims f or damage are ever sent d in by the farmers and lan owners . At the

M or annual dinner given at the ess , two three of them have even declared their belief that a fence looks more picturesque after a charge of cavalry has swept over it

’ During Ma jor Yorke s first period of Master h 1 8 — Of n s ip , 74 5 , he was in the habit sendi g — the kennel man on , by train , with the “ N One worry to the finish . day he never

on M n arrived , and the aster getti g back to kennels , he rated the man for his remissness . “ sir Beg pardon , , said the culprit , but as we

’ Toosda I ke t the worr wasn t out last y, p y, and when I got to the station they wouldn ’ t let

’ me into the train they said a smalt too bad D ra ghounds 1 0 5 Amongst the many good horses I have seen follo wing the pack may be mentioned

M Old - The idshipmite , Ballot Box , who ran w third for the Liverpool with t elve stone up ,

n - O- W Southdow , and Ingle g Jang , illoughby ,

Cho ette A n S p , thlete , Co fidence , and urprise , the last seven all Point to Point winners ; R D d The oman and Gold ust , a won erful couple of heavyweight hunters belonging to that good sportsman Colonel Hutchinson ;

’ O N eil n and Shane , a win er at Punchestown Al and dershot . An account of the falls and general mis

um haps I have witnessed , and at times most willingly shared whilst enj oying these truly cheery gallops , would fill a volume , but in all the years I have been with them there has never

u been a life lost , except indirectly . The Ho se hold Brigade pack has not been so fortunate ,

sa d of R and the death Colonel obinson , whilst following them in M arch of this year

in n n is fresh the memory of all . O o e occa

a rnin ha m— w ff — m sion , at F g al ays a sti line y h horse fell at the t ird fence , and it was some 10 6 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

time ere he consented to be mounted again . I jogged on after hounds until a strange sight met my gaze in a water meadow separated from the field I was in by a big dyke . It was a horse which was walking slowly along with apparently something hanging down by his side . Fearing I hardly knew what , I scrambled into the field , and after going some distance found that the apparition was a man

n hangi g head downwards from his saddle , his feet being firmly wedged into the stirrup irons ; a very unpleasant position unless help had come . Another curious accident happened ’ A when running the Shooters Hill line . fter

of the check , and at the beginning the second line , four of us charged the first fence abreast , and every one was simultaneously grassed ! O nce a ludicrous thing happened at Bexley , M in the boggy water meadows . y horse was taking Off at a brook when the rotten bank let him in head first , just as I slipped over “ ” his tail and took my seat upon the fl ure t behind him . That inciden nearly robbed the

S of Oflic er ervice a most promising young ,

1 0 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt on Saturday afternoons if he possess a horse " ca n not ic ted that jump , and is a with nerves

’ when the cry is War wire I Several years ago I had some good gallops E “ ” with the psom drag . The field was all “ a s of quality a rule , and with the faces M W . H . oore , Harry Beasley , Jack Jones

H. R H who then trained and rode . . the Prince

’ “ ” of — Wales chasers Arthur Hall , C . Law

i h i a t h N t n lls . e oc rence , the g g , J Adams ,

n enus omne n di icult g arou d , it was to believe you were not riding in a steeplechase . A drag pack is essentially useful in a bad

of country . By means the human runner “ and here I may mention that the best two legged fox ” I have ever followed is Gunner

n 0 icia ted Grainger , who has in this capacity for the Woolwich Drag for a great number — of years even a country like West Kent can be made into an “ all grass and flying ” fences line . — Major Porteous a real good man both — across country and on the polo ground once lent me a pony for the winter , a game little D raghounds I 0 9

D chestnut , rej oicing in the name of inah , and although it wa s rather a case f or the

I rode her with the drag one day , really meaning to pull up at the first big obstacle .

so But the game little mare sailed along gaily ,

so on and jumped well , that I went until we

- fiv e . came to a barred gate , chained and locked I wa s about to pull up and go back when I sa w my diminutive mount cock her ears at “ ” on old the obstacle . A Come , girl , and she flew at the gate and topped it like a sparrow hopping over a twig ! She jumped

or m two three more fences , and then ca e to a big hairy one which stood up too high for

h er she even powers . But never hung fire “ ” f or a moment . With an amount of cheek which was absolutely sublime for so tiny a

she steed , dived clean through it , like a circus clown through a paper hoop We were both l scratched all over , but no fall . Dinah wou d j ump a single hurdle standing alone . R This year the oyal Artillery Drag have ,

or on two three occasions , been honoured with the presence of Field -Marshal Lord 1 I O I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

R C. oberts , V . , who , mounted either by Colonel

or Yorke Captain Ferrar , has gone right well ” on with them , and been hand at the finish , in spite of a fall in the early part Of the run . The man who was undeterred by a hugely

of outnumbering host Afghan warriors , was not to - be stopped by a drag line , however stiffly it might be fenced ! As far as I am aware none of the drag packs advertise their meets . These are kept

so strictly private , and properly , both in the

of who interests the farmers , would hardly welcome a big field , and also in those of the

w As follo ers of the packs themselves . simi lating more nearly to a cross - country race than merely riding to hounds , there is a cer “ tain amount of crowding and haste to get ” Off from the mark , usually followed by a little j ostling and j ealousy at the first fence or of two , which makes a limited number

is starters a welcome thing . As it , with

out R Often less than thirty men , the ecord “ ing An gel has to be fairly sa t down on and ridden when the refusing and falling begin I

1 1 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Sile out of a lane , and then a fine stretching grass w ” meadow , ith a useful looking brook right

its down there , in the bottom , edges fringed

You with lopped pollards , catches your eye . take a slight pull at your nag to save his wind , then , just as the last Of the hounds

out n scrambles of the water , maki g a momen tary pause on the farther bank to give his dripping sides a shake , you take right hold of

’ u yo r horse s head , press your legs back and i a t t. One send him hind leg drops in , but with a flourish of the tail your horse is on terr r a a fi m all right . Splash goes your nearest follower , who has j umped short .

v - O er come the next half dozen , in gallant style ; two more get in and out again ; no

Off set . one damaged , and you again Hounds have got still farther ahead , but as you are rising a gentle slope now , it would not be

of j udicious to push on j ust yet . At the top the long mping meadow stands a post and ra ils , to which you at once give your best ! attention . Crack goes the top rail , and the rest of the field sing a little hymn of praise D ra ghounds 1 1 3

the You to you for thus clearing way . turn

- of sharply right handed , over a small piece

w not fallo , jump a fence , and , seeing the ditch

of on on the far side it , your horse blunders to his knees and nose . Up again , and no

N ow ou fall . y gallop along a footpath with

- a hog backed stile at its far end . Stiles , we know , must not be played with , so we go at this only after carefully pulling our horses “ n ! well back o to their hind legs . By Jove

tha t he hit pretty hard exclaims a man , as he narrowly misses getting a crumpler . Then across a village green , almost before the resi dent yokels have time to Open their mouths

low to their full extent in astonishment . A gate , jumped in single file , and then we all gallop hell for leather across a pretty park , topping some beautiful brush - fences that are

on route positively made to be galloped over , and finally pull up our smoking horses at the spot where the drag has been lifted for the W ff . e o check get our steeds , which , with b heads down , tails quivering , and flanks eav “ ” of ing , are glad enough the time to blow . H 1 14 I n Sca rlet a nd Sild

The owner of the park comes out and gives

or of us a j olly welcome , and then two three his servants arrive with soda and things w The liquid goes do n hissing , after that ex

tremel ! y warming gallop Whilst we wait ,

men cast up from here , there , and every i where ; some with d rty coats , some without

or hats , others with a lost iron broken stirrup A m ’ leather to complain of . fter a ten inutes “ ’ ” a t halt on we go again , a hound s j og , to

start the second line . This time there is a

of diminished field , casualties in the shape & or c . falls , refusals , blown injured horses , , preventing several from essaying the winding

up gallop of the day . “ Let them get over the first fence , gentle M men , says the aster , as he sits quietly on his horse , in the gateway of a field , intently

n watchi g the pack . “ n Hou ds have just picked up the smell , “ ” tow ! one is and with a , yow from , which quickly taken up by the rest , away they go like lightning , charging and tumbling over the fence at the fa r side of the field in

1 16 I n Sca rlet a nd S ilk

couple Of stiles are negotiated , and again water looms in sight . Five men are pretty close together as we come to this , and the leading horse whips round and refuses , gallop ing right across the second man , and causing him to pull up sharply to avoid a collision .

These two men are strangers , so they only

sa glare at each other , and y nothing . Then the same thing exactly happens with the third and fourth horses ; but the respective

d of h ri ers t is last pair being bosom friends , they proceed , forthwith , to slang each other like pickpockets ! Hounds are now stream

- ing along a wood side , packing closely , and running as though they knew the finish was

d of near at han . Indeed , a couple the most aged and artful - those two qualifications so — Often go together , by the way well knowing this particular line , have dodged across a

field to the left , thus cutting Off a big corner , to where they know a tasty paunch awaits

to them . But the rest stick the scent , and we follow in their train . Along the head lands of a wheat - field we go carefully ; f or D ra ghounds I I 7

of farmer Joskins is a terror a man , and objects “ on principle —though he doesn’ t — know wha t principle to the drag coming over his land , and has been persuaded to “ ” w f or allo it this occasion only , because it is simply an impossibility for a ny one to re

’ sist our Master s frank good - nature and per

We d suasive eloquence . jump the hur les at

of the far end, and emerge on to a stretch

fine Old turf. And now as we near the

finish , those who have any steam left in

n their horses at once proceed to turn it o .

one of A bit of racing takes place , flight sheep hurdles and a slenderly constituted “ ” to a s our railing being knocked blazes ,

v on irre erent second Whip calls it , the way .

We pull up our blown and panting steeds , “ ” or and watch the worry , as with a blast two on the horn our Huntsman (and Master)

’ fetches the paunch from the dragsman s cart , and rewards the eagerly expectant hounds t wi h the nastiest conceivable morsels . Then ,

for after a short interval rest , we light up our cigars , and having thoroughly enj oyed a I 18 I n S ca rlet a nd Silt

gallop , which , had it taken place after a fox , we should probably have alluded to a s one of the smartest of the season , j og leisurely homewards .

’ - Drag hunting is hardly a lady s sport , as may well be imagined . But amongst the few I have seen go well with them may be

ollet mentioned Lady Julia F , Lady Parker,

Mrs Mrs . Porteous , . Harrison , Miss Hoare , M Mrs. . . and C G ackenzie . I have ridden all sorts and conditions of

difl erent horses with draghounds at times , but I am persuaded that the ideal mount

Old for them is an steeplechaser , temperate

one enough for to hold with ease . Such an one may , perhaps , be too slow to win steeple

his chases , but plenty fast enough to hold M own with the drag . y experience of them is that they hardly ever refuse their fences ,

r thei courage is undeniable , and you rarely have to send them out of a canter in order to

7) keep pace with the average hairy . The great drawback is , that after a horse has been any time in a training stable he Often gets into the way Of pulling hard and rushing his fences .

E AR LY D AY S

EV ERYTHI N G must have a beginning , and

to steeplechasing was no exception the rule . Although in “ Scott and Sebright ” we read of 1 2 a contest taking place as early as 79 , in Leicestershire— the course being from Barkby

Holt to the Coplow and back , about eight — miles between Mr . Charles Meynell , Lord

who Forester , and Sir Gilbert Heathcote ,

not finished in the order named , it was much before 1 8 2 5 that steeplechasing began to be a popular amusement amongst the hunting At fraternity . that time , and for many years

of afterwards , the sport was exclusively that

sa hunting men . Would we might y the same of it to - day ! Alas ! time has brought its

on ha s changes steeplechasing , as it , and will , on of everything , and a decree divorce has been pronounced between two grand pastimes 1 2 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Sil/e which formerly walked so amiably hand in N hand . owadays , many a man owns steeple chase horses who is not even in sympathy with hunting , let alone a participator in the f ” t O . spor kings Unfortunately , the game has got more and more into the hands of the racing fraternity , and farther and farther away from hunting and its votaries . The era of the j ovial dinner , the merry challenge h across the table , the laug ing acceptance , the

con stakes deposited then and there , time , ditions on , and place settled over the last — cigar all this has passed away , never to

“ ’ of return . There is too much the I ve got

’ a good horse , but I don t mean anybody to

of know it spirit abroad , and too little the — “ ’ fine Old rough and - ready I ll match mine ” n win agai st yours , and may the best horse principle . There is too much planning and ” clearing the way , too little of running for

’ the sport s sake alone . We ought to be very thankful for the great revival of Point to

Point races , which will go far to warm up the chilly blood of steeplechasing , and which

1 2 4 I n Sca rlet a nd Silh

out broke the horse himself, and soon found he had got a wonder . With his owner in

Ga la d won R the saddle , y ran and at ugby , N ewport Pagnell , and two or three other places , until Elmore , the hunter dealer , cast loving eyes on him , and finally bought the

f or horse a thousand , with another hundred

w n contingency in case he o the Liverpool . In the Grand N ational of 1842 Elmore started both Ga yla d (ridden by Tom Olliver)

ot and Lottery (Jem Mason). Both horses g

Ga la d the course safely , and y came out full of running at the last fence , and won .

’ Moonraker , who won the great chase at

Al 1 8 1 St . bans in 3 from eleven others , had a very humble beginning . To speak quite

t one accura ely , no seems to know what his “ ” actual beginning was . What is known

t his about him , however , is hat before trans m ogrifica tion into a steeplechaser he was

- drawing a water cart in , it is said , the streets

i wa of Birmingham . The purchase pr ce s the

one of extremely modest eighteen sovereigns , and the horse owned to almost as many years E a rly D ays 1 2 5

d n when he was victorious in a field Of a oze , as before stated . In 1 8 3 2 the large concourse of twenty

’ f r Al o . came to the post the St ban s event , including such good ones as the grey Grimaldi

’ Osba ldeston s— Squire and Corinthian Kate ,

old M Da n Sefzfert but oonraker , ridden by , was again successful . Grimaldi was a horse with a great turn of speed , but he never would face water if he could help it ; though

’ on with Dick Christian s assistance foot , and

’ his owner s in the saddle , he beat Colonel

’ Cha rritie s N a oleon of p , one the best j umpers

of even that day , although rather slow , in a match at Dunchurch albeit both he and his opponent got into the Lem , and indulged in

n te a swimming contest o rou . The names of Jem Mason and Lottery will always be inseparable in the minds of the Older generation of steeplechase

on devotees ; and Captain Becher , the great “ ” - Vivian , is another pleasant mind picture

no for the memory to dwell upon . I am t old h e h r enough to av even seen suc celeb ities , 1 2 6 I n Sca rlet a nd Site

of but one my forebears , who himself was

of fond a gallop between the flags , has many a time given me a description of their prowess . We are much indebted to the late Henry Hall Dixon ( “ The Druid ” ) for

o f chronicling many their doings , which would otherwise have been swept away into

o f of the forgotten limbo the past . Some

- those fine old fashioned matches , such as R i that between Vivian and Cock obin , w th Becher and the Marquis of Waterford riding ; M Grimaldi and oonraker , steered respectively by Osbaldeston and Se ffert ; and the match between Captain Horatio Ross’ s Pole Cat

’ Mr (owner up) and . Gilmour s Plunder , the

- n N hard ridi g farmer , Field icholson , steering the latter , must have been events worth

n see travelli g any distance to . The dull dead level o f the modern galloping course gives no such opportunity : f or the

’ o f exercise a man s sound judgment (or any ,

Of indeed , his knowledge of, or eye for , a country)as these contests of a past age did .

for But all that , where will you find a prettier

1 2 8 I n S ca rlet a nd S ill:

Grand Annuals ; and in 18 3 9 the Liver pool executive substituted for the selling race alluded to above a sweepstake of

one twenty sovereigns each , with hundred

d 1 2 sovereigns ad ed ; st . each ; gentlemen riders ; four miles across country ; second horse to save his stake ; the winner to pay te n sovereigns towards expenses ; no rider to

or Open a gate , ride through a gateway , or

100 more than yards along any road , foot ” path , or driftway . In an old sporting paper I have found a complete list of the starters and j ockeys for N this , the first Grand ational , and it may not be inopportune to reproduce it here in xte e nso.

G AN D LI E P OL TEEPLE HA E R V R O S C S .

J oc key ’ n n t n Bec e Cap ta i Child s Co rad Cap ai h r . ’ ‘ u t W M Donou h F n R . e u . . Mr. rg so s s g D a xon O ne w r . B k t n B ne ar s o yr . ‘ ’ ‘ na ld s Th e N un Al n M Donou h Lo rd M Do a g . ’ B P nee W lk e S D . . ir . aird s io r Mr a r ’ L tte c m n Mr E e J . . lmor s o ry Maso ’ S G ost n s S e ent -f u Tom O e ir . M y v y o r lliv r, E a rly D ays 1 2 9

J ock e y ’ ta n L b J ck W d Cap i am s a a low . ’ N e c be nn n Ba ll O ne Mr . w om s Ca o w r . ’ H S B en R b e n. Mr. . . ow s am l r Morga ’ t n M R P e Cap ai arshall s ailroad Mr . ow ll . ’ te en n T ue B ue B k e Mr . S ph so s r l Mr . ar r . ’ T e b P in in . u t . Mr h o ald s a l a Mr . Mar ’ O e D cta t in Mr . sw ll s i or Carl . ’ R be t n W m t Mr . o r so s Cramp il o . ’ V evers t H Mr . Chari y ardy . This was the particular contest in which “ ’ the Obstacle called to this day Becher s ” Brook obtained its name . Captain Becher , in order to steady Conrad , who was a very headstrong horse , came along directly Lord

Da xon Sefton dropped his flag , and with , made j oint running to the first brook . Conrad tried to run through the timber set in front of his it , shooting his rider clean over head into the ditch beyond . Becher was in a ” e mi tight place , with the whole field str a ng after him . In a moment he had scrambled close under the bank , and in this way the rest of the oncoming field cleared him in

M s on safety . Jem a on Lottery won in a t can er by three lengths that day , and it is

so l recorded that , fu l of running was the 13 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt:

- horse , that he cleared thirty three feet over the last fence . It must Obviously be impossible within the limited space here available to even

of of make mention many the celebrities , human and equine , of these early days . I must ask my readers ’ pardon for thus merely skimming over some , and even omitting men

of of t tion altogether other , the glories of hat “ ” old good time , when steeplechasing was

of in the palmiest its palmy days .

Ga la d y , a rare stayer , and a most aecom

lished p jumper ; Peter Simple , a peculiarly

- beautiful mover , and grand looking horse ,

of two N un the hero Liverpools the , winner of several chases , True Blue , Cigar, and

a ll Cannon Ball were running about then , “ ” and the hunter dealers , the Elmores and l Mr. . Ti bury , flourished The latter owned

amongst others Prospero and Culverthorpe , but neither Of them was good enough for “ ” Lottery and Vivian . Jack Elmore did much for the sport , and in his day owned

one of many a good , Lottery, course , being

13 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Sile

‘ M Don Jem Mason , the wonderful brothers

A Tom O ough ( lan and William), lliver , and

to many more too numerous mention here , were amongst the “ very best ” of the cross country riding contingent of these early days , and a whole history might be written upon their splendid performances in the

not saddle . It is a little remarkable that

‘ gallant Old Alan M Donough actually donned silk at the age of sixty - four to ride his last steeplechase . In the Liverpool of 1 840 the almost in ! vincible Lottery came down at the wall I n

of c om front the Stand . He sinned in good pany , for no less than five fell at the same

. w place Charity beat him the follo ing year , and Lottery ’ s penalties effectually stopped him from ever adding a second “ N ational

Tom O Ga la d to his score . lliver won on y in

1 8 2 1 8 4 and on Vanguard in 43 , Lottery and

M on Jem ason being behind him each occasion . Poor Tom Olliver was always “ up to his ” in f t d hat debt , and o en emerged from urance

ne t th e f l n e Do away wi h ol owi gy ar. E a rly D ays 1 3 3 vile to ride in a steeplechase and then return to his stone retreat . How our forefathers read the conditions of

a fl e ctin of the race as g the status the riders , “ is one of those things that no fellow can ” “ understand . Gentlemen riders , say the

a Tom conditions . Wh t about Jem Mason ,

‘ O M Donou hs ? lliver , Byrne , and the two g

The tape , I imagine , was seldom , if ever , requisitioned in steeplechasing’ s very early

18 days , and it was left until the year 47 ” f or a record feat to be established , which ,

- d . as far as we know , stan s unrivalled to day

Chandler , owned at the time by the well

Ousel known y Higgins , and ridden by Captain

Broadley , was running at Warwick when parts of the course were under water , and the “ ” Badminton book on steeplechasing tells “ us that The brook was swollen to the — dimensions of a small river it was imp os

tell on sible , indeed , to how far each side fl the over ow extended but Chandler , coming down to the brook at a great pace , cleared

! O so the water at a bound . nlookers were 13 4 I n S ca rlet a nd S ilh

- struck , that the distance from the hoof marks on the taking - off to the hoof- marks on the

- m it landing side was easured , and was found

- that the horse had jumped thirty nine feet . The Steeplechase C a lendar gives the following R record egalia led to the brook , into which

who all fell except Chandler , thus obtained a great lead , nothing but King Of the Valley ” ever getting near him again .

dis The following year Captain Little , a “ ’ — — c iple of Black Tom s Tom Olliver won

n the Liverpool o this horse .

Mr Tom Pickernell Mr . Thomas ( . ) seemed for some time to be a link between the past and the present . He has ridden N three Grand ational winners , and had a mount in no less than eighteen Liverpools .

Ana tis , The Lamb , and Pathfinder were all steered most brilliantly by this gentleman to victory ; the latter exactly twenty years

1 8 . ago , 75 Pathfinder had been used as a hack and a Whip ’ s horse before trying his

one of luck at Liverpool , and he was the worst horses that ever won . A short time

C ELEB RIT I ES O F T H E PAS T T H I RTY Y EARS

“ JUST as in the teeth of all ten thousand pounder Opposition the Derby is still the

D so erby to the racing man , is the great event decided each March upon “ Aintree’ s ” bleak plain the highest of all prizes to the votary of steeplechasing . It matters not that

u Manchester , in the north , puts forth s ch subtle attractions as a shortened course and w a pile of added money , or that Sando n and Kempton , in the south , strive to tempt the best Of our cross - country performers to their charming courses — the N ational ’ s the “ ’ ” N a nd ational for a that , in the steeple chasing world Liverpool always has been , “ and we sincerely trust always will be , a ” name to conj ure with . Celebrities of the P a st Thirty Yea rs 1 3 7

In 1 8 65 a remarkably good field came to l the post for the Grand Nationa , including

’ L Africa ine that sterling performer , a fear

Joe fully hard puller , Emblem , Thomastown ,

wa s Maly , who made favourite , Alcibiade ,

old- and Hall Court , a rare fashioned type Of “ ” M r out hunter . . Thomas cut the work for

of on part the j ourney Thomastown , but this time he had. nothing to do with the finish , which wa s left to Captains Coventry and

’ Tempest on Cherry Angell s Alcibiade and Hall Court respectively The result of a desperate race home was in favour of the

’ L Africa ine former by only a head . , beaten by his weight and the pace combined , was

out early of the race .

of M r d A rare good j udge a horse , . Stud ,

’ o wn was destined to the next year s winner ,

M r S Salamander . . tudd was travelling in Ireland on the look - out for some hunters when he chanced upon a rough - coated colt sheltering in a dirty hovel . Taken with his make and shape he soon struck a bargain with the owner for him , and brought him 1 3 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

’

. . across St George s, Channel Here he was put into training , and quickly developed into a really great horse , winning the Liverpool ,

of M r in the experienced hands . Alec Good

w - man , from t enty nine opponents . The

Mr following settling day . Studd took a “ sum out of the Ring which fairly knocked m the stu ng out of two well - known book k ma ers at the least . On the occasion of his first victory The — Lamb one of the very best of Liverpool

— M r Ede winners was steered by . George , perhaps as fine a horseman as ever lived ,

of D who fairly outrode the j ockey Pearl iver , though it was a tight fit at the last for supremacy .

M r Ede wa s . , in many respects , a most remarkable man , and from an Old friend of

M r Ed N . e mine , in orthamptonshire (where was studying as a farm pupil in his early

won days), for whom he rode and many steeplechases , I have learnt some interesting

On details of his career . the farm in ques tion the future gentleman rider first met

14 0 I n S ca rlet a nd S ilh own opinion of it when I say that he was a

fifteen— shade under though , as far as I know , the great gentleman rider never actually put him under the standard . Mr . Ede showed great patience and skill upon Mr . William

’ Blencowe s Acrobat , a horse with a most h extraordinary temper . I ave a letter by

Blencowe how me now in which Mr. tells me he became possessed of this singular animal . ” of I went , he writes , to Mr . Bennett

to Stone Castle buy a charming hunter ,

Othello , and seeing a big bay horse in the

‘ stable , with fired hocks , I remarked , This is the sort I want to win some hunt steeple

’ u ? chases with . What will yo take for him

Mr . Bennett laughed , and said that if I could ride him out of the yard he would give him d to me . I had him sad led , and rode him out without his giving any trouble , though

I dared not touch his mouth . After some j oking about my present of a horse , I

f r eventually gave eighty guineas o him . He

he won . me seven steeplechases In fact , always won when in good temper . He won Celehrities of the P a st Thirty Yea rs 1 4 1 the Bedford Hunt Cup with poor George Ede up by half a field , easily beating Captain

’ Ma chell s N Leonidas , who had won the ational

’ Hunters a f e w weeks previously . Soon

Ma chell after this performance , Captain

M Blencowe bought Acrobat from r. for six hundred guineas , and started him for the

mea nt Liverpool ; that is , he to start him for that race , but Acrobat himself entertained

w on other vie s the subj ect , and declined to budge an inch when the flag fell , although a man with a hunting crop had been specially detailed to assist in getting the craft under

N O way . one knows exactly how good the horse was , as when he meant going he was

’ ’ never beaten ; when he didn t , he wouldn t try a yard ! N o mortal ever devised the fence that would stop him , but he wanted “ ” on Ede a man his back , and George was j ust that man .

R of Lord onald , owned by that best good

of sportsmen the Duke Beaufort , was also piloted in the many races he won by the same accomplished rider . Lord Ronald will 1 4 2 I n Sca rlet a nd S ilh best be remembered by th e present generation

ha s B a d as the sire of The Cob , who done minton good service in long distance races

thin one wi the past few years , and was of

- the pl easantest race horses I ever got on .

Wh i n lst writi g of Mr . Ede , let me not forget to record the sad death of the poor ” t “ li tle Lamb . He was sold to go to

y h t nin in German , and w ils run g a steeple

a t chase , I think , Baden , he fell on ground — as hard as a turnpike road be it remembered that ste eplechasin g is a summer amusement — in the land of Hochs and Books broke his

ha d to . leg , and be destroyed

T w f ul hat onder horse The Doctor , who ,

his despite being a weaver , a noisy one , a

- e - crib bit r , and having a club foot , was perhaps the very best hunter in Leicester shire during the nine seasons Custance th e o him j ckey rode there , and was only beaten by half a length for the Liverpool by The

o in 1 8 0 C lonel (a dual winner) 7 , when receiving 6 lbs. The Colonel was a great

ri of leathe ng horse , and perhaps one the very

14 2 [n Sca rlet a nd Silk best be remembered by the present generatio n as the sire of The Cob , who has done Bad minton good service in long distance ra ces

of within the past few years , and was one

- n the pleasantest race horses I ever got o .

of Ede not Whilst writing Mr . , let me forget to record the sad death of the poor “ ” t He to li tle Lamb . was sold go to n Germany , and whilst runni g in a steeple

a t I on chase , think , Baden , he fell ground — as hard as a turnpike road be it remembered that steeplechasing is a summer amusement — in the land of Hochs and Bocks broke his leg , and had to be destroyed .

That wonderful horse The Doctor , who ,

one despite his being a weaver , a noisy , a

- - crib biter , and having a club foot , was perhaps the very best hunter in Leicester shire during the nine sea sons Custance the jockey rode him there , and was only beaten by half a length for the Liverpool by The

18 0 Colonel (a dual winner) in 7 , when 6 ’ receiving lbs . The Colonel was a great

one leathering horse , and perhaps of the very ’ ’ ’ Celeé rztzes of Me P a st Tfizr/y Yea rs 1 4 3

D won N . best that ever a ational The octor , when bearing the weight of seventeen years , was entered f or the jumping competition at

m won D Oakha , and , with ick Shaw , the

on steeplechase jockey , his back ; his owner

to hot electing ride his second string , a headed brute that would only do his best

’ Custa nc e s own h one in hands , and t is took second honours . A great horseman was , and is , Captain

m won N Doggy S ith , who the ational Hunt Steeplechase at Melton on Game Chicken as

18 6 far back as 4. He was also successful in

1 8 1 the same race , in 7 , with Daybreak , and

1 8 on Lucellum in 74 , and his last win in

on N w w 1 8 that contest was e Glasgo in 8 0 . D uring the whole of this period he was one of t the very bes men across Leicestershire , but has now left Melton and gone to live and hunt in Sussex . Captain H . Coventry ,

won Al who the Liverpool on cibiade , was

of another the same sort , and few, if any ,

on or better amateurs , either the flat across

c er n en . ountry , have ev bee se in silk ’ 1 44 [n S t a r/ct a nd Szl/a I hardly know which Liverpool winner can lay claim to being the very worst that ever I took such honours , but suppose it would be a close race between Shifnal , who gave ’ “ R I Anson e obert his blue , and Casse T te , A splendidly ridden by J . Page . lmost every

’ thing else fell down in the latter s year ( 1 8 72 ) “ ” sa d to and lucky Teddy Brayley (who , say , in spite of his luck died some years back at Bath in abj ect poverty) saw the mean looking little chestnut mare , hopelessly beaten by Scarrington to the last hurdles , come in alone , as the latter injured his leg so much at them that he could hardly hobble past the

’ t R I Anson pos ; and once more obert , prince

’ of wa s professionals , and my boyhood s hero , baulked of the chief ambition of his life .

’ What a shadow I Anson looked at the time he could go to scale at less than ten stone ; what an impossibility it seemed that he ever could have done so when I last shook hands M with him at the Grand ilitary meeting , this very year ! That luck is a strong element in the game

’ 146 [n Sca rlet cm a S ile

- u Mr. R fence before the race co rse , ichardson ,

on u . Disturbance , j st managed to get up

’ R shworth s y rider was not very experienced , and in the last quarter of a mile the amateur “ ” him a ll beat ends up . At the same meeting Ryshworth won the Grand Sefton ;

R wa s win eugny , who destined to the great l i i event in the fol ow ng year , being beh nd him t . , in receip of a stone

On - the last named animal , the late member for Brigg completed his highly meritorious “ double but the horse was

’ never anything like so good a s Commotion s son , who ended his career unfortunately ,

ki is his . by ric ng back It said that Mr . ” P ussy Richardson was of opinion that the course at Liverpool wa s not half so stiff as the line which had to be negotiated at “ the famous Grand National dinner at

v his Brigg , gi en to celebrate victory , where ,

’ As tle s u di at Sir John y s ggestion , the nner

t u ta D u ticke s bore the s i ble inscription , ist rb

but Ro w ance , no Chandos ne ver str uck me as looking like i of Me P a st T/zzrtj / Yea rs 1 4 7

v un And a sa fe conveyance o er a big co try .

bi n a ll Liverpool is a very g cou try , despite “ a that the fogey schoo l c n sa y about it. The bea utiful chestnut ca rri ed his hea d too much tucked into his chest and ga llope d too hi s a s rdl - u e gh for a cha er , but a hu e j mp r

wa W r he s absol utely invincible . hat pa ticula rly struck me abo ut him wa s that ’ w he didn t seem to loo k where he a s going . “ That does not so much ma tter over the

t s a too a lls s ick , but I have t ken many f

t s of thi e from hi sort horse , at ck fenc s , not

to . be rather shy of them now However , fa r cleverer hea ds than min e made him

’ r a s w t favou ite for the big chase , and Je i t ,

first- co untrv a n d t he a rate man over a ,

’ own tr e to him horse s ainer , elect d ride

s a i Re in te d of the l ttle black gal , on whom

Joe r sa Cannon had the mount , I da e y it All h was only prejudice on my part. t e

a wa s di s s me , it a lucky preju ce for me p er on “ ’ ” l d a i a a ly , for I followe the Capt n s ex mple

i set S wh ch he at andown , and had my

v - - a n coppe rs on the fi e yea r old. Ch dos 148 I n S ea rlel a nd Silk j umped the country much better than I had imagined he would , but he managed to blunder badly at the water and smash one of the rails in front of a fence ; after which

on he landed his head and turned over , leaving Cannon and Regal to go on and

to tackle Congress , which they did such good purpose that the black won by a neck .

t 1 8 Aus erlitz , in 77 , was a veritable wonder , "° and it is di cult to sa y what weight would have stopped him that day . He must have a been a very ple sant horse to ride , and R galloped , like his sire , ataplan , casually .

As a fencer he was magnificent , and just F the horse to carry Mr . reddy Hobson home triumphantly . But how he could manage to spare a hand to catch hold of the cantle of his saddle at every fence

n of H . ow I ca not , for the life me , imagine ever , he won , and that is everything . In 18 79 The Libera tor was steered to victory “

Mr. o by . Garry Moore , a very p pular

f or win the Irish brigade , who came over

1 5 0 I n St a rlet a nd Silk to do by way of getting a little fun and excitement , eh

Do ? o tO of , is it Well , g to the p the hotel

‘ To h steps there , and just shout wid Parnell ! ’ an ’ if ye don ’ t get enough fun and

’ excitement to last ye a fortnight , I ll be mightily surprised This wa s at the time that the uncrowned ” f King was in the zenith o his power . — The year 1 880 saw The Liberator this time

n 12 s . o with the steadier of t. 7 lbs his back — M carry Mr . oore again into the front rank , finishing third ; whilst another representative of E the Green Isle , mpress , ridden by Mr.

T m w n o o . Beasley , What a wonderful family

first- for turning out class steeplechase riders , ! this Unhappily , William has now met his death at the game in Ireland .

’ Speaking of William Beasley s death,it is somewhat strange that , since beginning this chapter , I should have , most unexpectedly , chanced upon the very horse that killed him “ ” when he was down at the fatal double , Al ’ l s Well , now regularly ridden to hounds ’ ’ ' Cele é rztzes of tee P a st Té zrty Yea rs 1 5 1

f by the Countess o Warwick . Being at

’ Easton , Lady Warwick s place near Dun m ow , I took the Opportunity of going through the stables and looking at the hunters .

on Whilst discussing their merits later , the

’ Countess told me that All s Well was one of

of extra ordi the most perfect hunters , and

’ na ril own y fast . To use Lady Warwick s “ d ’ ” to . words , he oesn t know how fall

Certes ou ht not , he g , with such a precious burden to bear as the most beautiful woman in Christendom . In 1 88 1 the little black horse Regal was second , beaten pretty easily by Woodbrook , “ ” a noisy one ; and the next year Lord

Manners got Seaman home by a short head , after a desperate race with Tom Beasley on

Cyrus . I always think Seaman , fit and well ,

of of was one the horses the century . The year before he won the Grand N ational he ” simply made hay of a good field of horses

won in the Liverpool Hunt Steeplechase , and

of the by the length a street , after making

of whole the running . Afterwards he went ’ 1 5 2 [a St a rlet a na Silk

ewitt very queer behind , and J had to do all he knew to bring him out sound f or subsequent engagements . After winning the National

n he went hopelessly in o e hind fetlock j oint .

Zoedone , ridden by her owner , Count

i won K nsky , a good man across country , in

1 8 8 not 3 . She was a clever fencer , but could gallop fast enough to keep herself warm .

1 8 8 1 88 Then in 4 and 5 came Teddy ,

’ O 1 8 8 Wilson s brace of triumphs . In ctober 3 ,

’ at a sale of Lord Rosebery s rubbish at

Newmarket , Voluptuary , by Cremorne out of M w 1 0 iss Evelyn , was knocked do n at 5 guineas to the bid of Mr . E . P . Wilson , and the horse never ran in public over a co untry until he faced the starter for the Grand f N ational o the following spring . With the

- on - on Shipston Stour horseman his back , he never put a foot wrong all the way , and cantered in a very easy winner . The last piece of work I saw the old horse perform ” u D was titt ping across the stage at rury. R Lane Theatre . ather an inglorious finish for a N ational winner !

1 5 4 [n Sca rle t a nd Silk

f or him , nobody else seemed to understand how to ride this good but eccentric horse .

Old Joe was essentially of the slow , stay ” ing hunter type , and had not a very good

w n 18 6 field to tackle when he o in 8 . Game

a n oi olloi cock , immense favourite with p , took the race the following year , and then

Tom out Cannon sent a winner , in Playfair ,

Da ne ur 1888 from the famous stable at b y in .

’ to As I before said , Frigate s turn win came at last . She was a wonderfully clever fencer , never made mistakes , and could stay , at her own pace , for a week The mare was very wiry , but a bit too light, apparently , to be in the very first class . Ilex was a good “ ” horse , but no catch to train , and never (speaking from memory) did any good after winning the Liverpool . Come Away again put the Irish on good terms with themselves

1 8 1 in 9 , and , caught at his best , he was an

- f - - n out o the common good horse . Captain ( ow R O Major) E . . wen rode his first Grand N ational winner in the queer - tempered little

’ O Fl nn Father y , which had not long before Celebrities of tke P a st Tlzirty Yea rs 1 5 5

’ been sold out of the Marquis of Cholm ondeley s stable . He has changed hands pretty often

of in the course a somewhat chequered career ,

’ and has the credit of having beaten this year s

N h Ma n Grand ational ero , Wild from Borneo ,

N 18 f in ovember 93 , in the Jollif e Steeple

on b chase , which occasion he was ridden y his present owner , Mr . Cecil Grenfell , a capital man between the flags , as he is at cricket , fencing , and racquets . Why N ot is a game little horse that

1 8 thoroughly deserved his victory in 94. He

wa s J . j ointly owned by Mr . ardine and Mr Charley Cunningham—the latter a splendid

f or — horseman , though full tall a j ockey and , ridden by him , ran a good second at Liver pool as far back as 1 8 This year he again ran extremely well , and finished in the first

- half dozen .

ha s Beyond all cavil , Cloister proved him self the champion cross - country performer of — — the age perhaps of any age for on the day that he simply squandered his field in the

G N f 1 o 18 2 st. rand ational 93 , winning with 1 5 6 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

his 7 lbs . on back , what weight would horses of . the Lottery and Ga yla d type have been likely to concede him successfully ? Is it not

he quite likely that , but for going amiss , might have made that solitary Grand N ational

n victory into a triple crow , all the weight

? in notwithstanding He was owned , turn ,

- by Captain Orr Ewing and Lord Dudley , before p a ssmg 1nto possession of his present M f r . D f i owner , . C u . I remember walk ng down to the post at Sandown to witness the

f or start the Grand Military , and looking over the great son of Ascetic— whose mission in life seems to be the getting of first- rate — steeplechase horses and the magnificent

Bloodstone , and thinking that the country might well be proud of such a couple . Two grander horses it would be a puzzle to find anywhere , and they were as good as they

- were good looking . Cloister has won the

on Grand Sefton Steeplechase two occasions , and is always seen at his best on the Aintree

N 1 8 course . In ovember 94, with the hunt

f 1 o . . on ing weight 3 st 3 lbs his back , he

’ 1 5 8 /7Z Sca rlet a na Silk

and came down half a mile from home , and , thoroughly pumped out , lay without making ff an e ort to rise . I escaped without a scratch ,

’ and was taking hold of the horse s bridle to try and get him on his feet again , when a voice from the crowd exclaimed

’ ’ ’ “ f n im . or e Let alone , guv nor It ain t as

’ ’ ’ e im e gits a rest ; let lie down while can ,

’ ’ ’ unless you re a -goin to run im a gen in the ” next ra c e I From time to time I have ventured to

out f point , in dif erent publications , two or three matters which I think are mainly accountable for the present depression in the steeplechasing world . I prefer to use the word depression to decadence I believe , and ,

a n as enthusiastic lover of the sport , fervently hope , that this state of things is only tem

ora r m - p y. One of the stu bling blocks to the farmer who breeds and breaks , and to the

t - h hun ing man who owns , orses smart enough to try conclusions with others over a steeple chase course , is the artificial character of the fences , and particularly of that wretched Ccleé rities of Me P a st Tairty Yea rs 1 5 9

travesty of a fair hunting j ump , the guard

who railed ditch . Most of the people have opened the floodgates of their wrath upon me “ ” for thus abusing the open grave have , I honestly think , misunderstood my meaning . It is altogether begging the question to ex “ ’ ou claim , Surely y don t obj ect to a ditch ” on the take - off side of a fence ? Of course

Bu nobody objects to such an obstacle . t the ” not is grave is a ditch ; it a long , sharply cut trench , with no natural growth to warn a horse of what he has to do . At a Hunt meeting in the Midlands some years ago I

in assisted marking out the course, and in a fine line of stiff hunting country , we were enabled to get in two big ditches , or , to be

one quite accurate , one ditch and small brook,

on - both the take off side of stout thorn fences .

N o u - wa s g ard rail placed before either , and with j ust upon fifty horses running —not one — from a training stable we had not a single f u a t o m. fall , or even bl nder , either the No,

u it j st comes to this , that if natural ditches can be obtained in the course no obj ection 1 6 0 [7c Sca rlet a mt S iM

could be raised to them ; if they cannot be found for Heaven ’ s sake don ’ t attempt to A “ ” manufacture them . fence you can copy i with fair success , but unt l a ditch has been will made for a number of years , it look like

a sawpit . Upon this subj ect the present editor of the

Sp orting I / lf efi a nd no keener lover of cross

nor of country sport , finer judge it , exists writes : Surely it is not out of the way to appeal to the members [of the N ational Hunt Committee! to consider at the next meeting

this question of the regulation ditch . What is it they are waiting for ? If it is f or signs of the natural disinclination of horses to take

such an obstacle , evidence is supplied them

is at every meeting in the land . If it for

the dangerous nature of the fence , let them set their clerks on a compilation of the accidents that occur through its existence

too accidents often fatal , both to horse and

- man . Farmers , breeders , hunting men , a ll have written in one strain of deadly ” opposition to it .

’ 16 2 I n Sca rlet a na Silk as qualified riders for fear that some Ma w

or Sti ins worm gg should find it out , and do them some injury in the business by which they earn their daily bread .

II

“ AMON GST that far too numerous class of the little birds that can sing and won ’ t sing ”

’ Astle s must be ranked Sir John y Scamp , who won the big hurdle race at Croydon , and

u - e seemed cut o t for a high class ste plechaser . — But beyond scrambling over or more often — l ’ still , knocking down the hurd es , he wouldn t m have ju ping at any price , but he did Jolly Sir John ” a turn here and there whilst

other ill R trained by F g owlands , at Pitt Place , E Epsom . ven that past master of the j ump

Mr A Y ing art , . rthur ates , could not make

- Scamp take to cross country work .

i of Mr Talk ng . Yates , it may fairly be said that probably no man living ha s had such a

i of var ed experience , both riding and training M ’ j umpers , as the aster of Bishop s Sutton . Celebrities of Me P a st f a irly Yea rs 1 6 3

Through sheer ill - luck he has never kn own

’ of Ai the j oys victory in ntree s big race , but of all other coveted prizes in the steeplechase world he has had his share and a bit over . I never met a man who had a word to sa y

’ against him , and I don t believe he has an

One enemy in the wide world . incident in connection with his good - nature well illus ” R trates what manner of man he is . iding

f or down to the post a steeplechase , he turned to ma n l a whom he hard y knew at all , and asked him if he had remembered to weigh out with a penalty the horse had recently

? As of i incurred a matter fact , the c rcum

of n stance the penalty had bee clean forgotten ,

’ and the startled rider wa s at his wits ends to know what to do . “

N . Y ever mind , said Mr ates kindly ,

hurry back and get your weight right , and

’ I ll on ride and explain matters to the starter . It is almost sad to relate that having returned to the post , with the penalty up , he won the

n n race , his ki dly mentor bei g second .

a ra nd- i Harvester ; Congress , g look ng horse ’ 1 6 4 I n Sca rlet a na S ilé that ought to have won the Liverpool

Scarrington , of whom the same words might be used ; Scots Grey ; Master Mowbray “ Schiedam ; Phryne ; the bolter Royalist ; M ’ essager , winner of the big chase at Croy

h old don , w en owned by Jack Percival , then M living at arden Park , and ridden by

of t Gregory , a wonderfully hard bit s uff ; “ D - espatch , who always galloped sky scrap

a nd seemed ing fashion , never to look at

R shworth f or his fences ; y , second the Liver

’ pool in Disturbance s year ; Marin ; Snow — storm ; and Footm a n all these were very

’ useful chasers , which I remember running about the country some twenty odd years ago .

’ 8 s H R H the of Early in the o . . . Prince Wales owned a good class ’ chaser in The A Scot , by Blair thol , a wonderfully handsome chestnut horse with a lot of white markings

on about him . He was not of much use the f out - lat, but turned a really fine cross country performer , securing amongst other events the Great Interna tional Steeplechase at Sa n

’ 1 66 I n Sca rlet a na S ill?

n W like a cat jumpi g off a high wall . hat a conveyance for Liverpool ! He gave Jones

his some nice easy rides in time , and simply

m n loved ju pi g . Here was another that G N deserved to win a rand ational , but never got nearer than second .

For make and shape , coupled with extra

- ordinary weight carrying power , few better ’ chasers than The Sinner (by Barabbas) and Roman Oa k (by Ascetic) have been seen

of by the present generation race goers . The Sinner seemed equally good on the flat or

to over a country , and was as easy ride as a pony . The horse had been ridden regularly to hounds by a lady before . being put to

ha s steeplechasing . He won an extraordinary

f a o Mr. number good r ces , mostly with “ ” D of enny Thirlwell , who was one the ” best in the saddle . The last time I ever sa w The Sinner run was at Croydon in

’ M 1 88 Kinsk s arch 7 , where he beat Count y “ ” crack 7 St . Galmier a real nailer at two and three miles , with the greatest ease . The

Honourable George Lambton , a beautiful Celeé rities of Me P a st Tnirty Yea rs 1 6 7

now of horseman , who has a useful string

N . horses in training at ewmarket , rode St

Galmier , and although unsuccessful on this occasion , the famous amateur had all the

of his own best it at the meeting , riding mare , Bellona , to victory in the Grand

International Hurdle , and winning the Great

M th e etropolitan Steeplechase , four miles ,

’ next day , on Sir W . Throckmorton s Phan

first - tom . In the named race particularly , he rode a masterly finish .

R Oa k . oman was owned by Mr W . Leetham

1 8 0 when , in 9 , he made his appearance at the

M l n Grand i itary meeting at Sandow , and

won . the Hunt Cup , ridden by Mr Leetham

’ himself. After this he crossed St . George s M Channel , and won the Irish Grand ilitary

1a n f or at Punchestown . He second the big M f anchester event , giving a stone and a hal to D the winner , ominion , and was then weighted at twelve stone for the Liverpool .

wa s not d He successful there , and the istance , four and a half miles , was avowedly too long

f or . him The following day , however , ridden ’ 1 6 8 I n S ca rlet a na Sills

— sa d by Mr . W . Beasley whose death I have — already alluded to he beat old Gamecock

one easily enough . After or two more

R Oa k unsuccessful appearances , oman , who f had now become the property o Sir H. ff de Tra ord , ran in the Irish International “ R ” Steeplechase , and , well ridden by oddy

Owen , won in a canter . From that time

on he seemed to get the down grade , but

his at best he was a really great horse , and quite a notable figure amongst ’ chasers of his time . Amongst bygone celebrities mention ought

to M won not be omitted of old edora , who some nice races in her time , and took three steeplechases within a week when in her

fifteenth year . And it was only in 18 94 b that Parasang , then owned and ridden y

won Mr . Percy Tippler , a steeplechase at

of seventeen the mature age . It really is

of wonderful how long some them last . Old Breach of Promise was another of the same

’ R t I Anson sort . ober had always to hustle him along to get the stiffness out of his limbs

’ I 7 O I n Sca rlet a na Sille

A o f M rthur , the winner the Grand ilitary R at ugby seven and twenty years ago . The army can also claim such “ good men and ” in R M E. true the present day as aj or .

Ow d ha s en ; Sir Cuthbert Sla e , who steered

’ Captain Michael Hughes s Alsop in most of his successful races ; Major Fisher ; Captain

Be wicke a re (who , if the racing reports to ” ” d Mr one . be believe , is Captain day and

Mr R A the next . Beevor , . . ; Captain Walter

one Beevor , Scots Guards , who at time trained

Mr. Ma Ca lm n P. c o t M . and rode for Harry , , the

f Mr A o . . . owner Isinglass F B tkinson , late th M 5 Lancers ; aj or Crawley , who rode this

’ M r M . year s Grand ilitary winner , Eustace

’ L M - oder s Field arshal , a rare good looking t ’ — horse , with a cres like a stallion s Field M arshal , by the way , came past the post

hlum ne n At . U second , y galloping in ahead

Mr t . for unately , however , for Lawson the horse forgot to bring his j ockey home with

n R Y him . Captai s icardo , Barry , ardley , and M Paynter , aj or Carter , Captain Ferrar , and

M - Threi la nd Mr. urray p have all been seen Celeé rities of Me P a st Thirty Yea rs 1 7 1 A to advantage between the flags . mongst prominent “ soldier owners are to be found

M of 2 nd Captain ichael Hughes , the Life

M Mr. . . r. . Guards ; H L . Powell , G C W R H G ilson , . uards , who won the Grand

’ N ational with Father O Flynn Captain Whi th taker , late 5 Fusiliers , whose plucky pur chase of Ormerod for 3 0 00 guineas was so promptly rewarded by the horse winning the

Grand Mili tary for him ; Mr. Baird ; Captain

Mr E 1 2 Fenwick ; . ustace Loder , th Lancers ;

Orr- E 16th Captain wing , Lancers ; and Lord

h u 1 0th . S aftesb ry , Hussars Few men in recent years have been blessed with two smarter steeplechase horses in a

m llfis Mr s a tud . . . very than H L Powell , with the magnificent Bloodstone and M idshipmite .

it is run Horses, truly said , in all shapes , and whereas the last named is a plain horse ,

( 6 — one -h u although a well made , wit rather p ” setting action in front, Bloodstone was a

a nd veritable picture, when galloping a

of f Mr realisation the poetry o motion . . “ ” Powell bought him fromthe ill - fated Bay ’ 1 7 2 I n Sca rlet a na S iM — — Middleton I think in 1 8 89 and with R ” Ow oddy en up , he won for him , amongst several other races , the Grand Military

’ Hunters Steeplechase at Sandown . After being sold to Lord Dangan (now Earl Cowley) he was pulled out for the Mammoth

’ Hunters Steeplechase at Sandown , and ridden O again by Captain wen , won a desperate race

An on by a short head. objection followed

of n . the ground bori g , which was overruled

For sa — my own part, I am bound to y though my sympathies and interests were all the “ other way —that I thought Bloodstone did interfere very considerably with the second

. wa s horse He extraordinarily speedy , and a

But very safe and quick fencer . he had this peculiarity , that he must be ridden amongst his horses ; neither in front nor behind . His fancy was to always form one of the cluster t m in the fron rank . He won any races , and seemed equally good over a country at hurdle

’ on racing , or the flat in hunters races . Gat him A t land trained at lfriston , and bo h at

‘ home and in public his jumping was bold a nd

’ 1 7 4 I n Sca rlet a na Silk

' trium ha ntl a t A on - p y, intree , the queer tem

’ Fl nn pered little Father O y . “ ? ’ sa so . Has he , now you don t y And

’ they couldn t kill the little devil , even with t all hat , eh answered the other . It is rather a noteworthy circumstance t hat the three j udges o icia ting at the show j ust named were all men who had ridden in ”

- w — the Liverpool Grand N ational Mr. Pussy R R ichardson , who rode Disturbance and eugny t to vic ory in successive years ; Mr . Danby ,

on 18 who was Pluralist in 47 , when that good horse fell early in the contest , but lost so little time that he finished less than 1 5 0

M h Mr yards behind att ew , the winner ; and .

N ot Charley Cunningham , who steered Why

1 8 into second place as far back as 8 9. What a wonderful little horse the last- named has proved himself. He has run consistently

on well at Liverpool , which severe course he always seems a stone better than else where ; and not the least of his remarkable

N of 18 performances was in the ational 95 , where , with twelve stone up , he was always Celeé rities of Me P a st Thirty Yea rs 1 7 5

Mr in the front rank , and finally carried . G uy Fenwick into fifth place ; this son of Castlereagh and Twitter wa s then fourteen

old years . If the ages of hunters could always be

of us ascertained , I suspect some would be astonished to find what veterans we were ” n u o . I s ppose that few antiquities could

to - o - of be found beat Ingle g Jang , winner

’ ’ many hunters chases and Point t o Point t even s in times past , and an admirable M fox catcher , who is still hunted by ajor

R. A . a Carter , , in Essex , although his ye rs

of of number those a quarter a century .

’ ’ To return to Mr . Powell s two good chasers . Bloodstone should now be as serviceable at the stud as he ha s been on the Turf ; and it " would be a di icult matter to find any horse better c alculated for getting hunters of the

in. highest type . Breeders should also bear d n min that he is a grandso of Touchstone . Midshipmite is a horse of quite another l i colour; literally and metaphorica ly speak ng . My first introduction to him wa s rather a ’ 1 7 6 I n Sca rlet a na Sill:

on strange e . I was riding in a gallop with

R u the oyal Artillery dragho nds , and crossing

La merb y Park I noticed a big , leathering , young bay pegging along in front , until on reaching the stiff flight of rails which guarded

bi on a g ditch the far side he charged them , was caught by the top bar , and turned head over heels into the ditch . There he lay , feebly waving all four legs in the air , and

or of off two three us , as we slipped our

to wa s horses lend a hand , thought that it

of a case a broken back . “ 800 And I gave for him last week , said his owner (who was then Whip to the drag)to me , in calm tones , as we assisted to turn the animal over and get him right side ” M up . That horse was idshipmite , then three

old bounds f or years , and seeing the first time in his life . What he has accomplished since is now a matter of Turf history ; Ga tla nd broke the horse in , and trained him for most of his earlier engagements . He used to fall sometimes two or three times a week on the A jumping ground at lfriston , but before he

’ 1 7 8 I n Sca rlet a na Sil/c

l 1 8 ful of running . In 93 he finished in

Sensier on his the first five at Aintree , with back ; and j ust previously to that he had M won the Grand ilitary in magnificent style ,

- M Captain Burn urdoch riding , and riding him very well too , for he is not every

’ his body s money to pull together at fences . At the water , the last time round , he made a tremendous leap , which I much wish had been measured From that point he had

ra c everything dead settled , and came in p tically alone . A week after Wild Ma n from Borneo had proved his excellence by winning the Grand N ational at Liverpool I found myself in E astbourne , and hacking over the breezy

South Downs , passed through Jevington , and arrived in time for some excellent “ ” roast beef at the quaint old Star , situate f in the equally quaint village o Alfriston . In the afternoon I was taken to see the “ W ” “ ild Man in his box , with all his blushing honours thick upon him . Hard — and wiry a s he looked his golden chestnut Ce le é rities of Me P a st Tnirty Yea rs 1 7 9

a s coat laying as close , smooth , and silky , though the month had been July instead of

A wa s pril , trained to perfection as he , and

1nde e d , must have been , in order to aecom — plish his stupendous task I must confess that he did not “ fill the eye ” as a victor in the greatest steeplechasing struggle of the world . In the stable he looks hardly big enough for the work , and is certainly

’ - no weight carrier . But I have his trainer s authority for saying that the horse did a

of preparation which , in point severity , would have broken down anything except either the Wild Man himself or a traction

. Ga la nd engine . Mr t is wise in his genera tion , and when he turns out a horse to run

’ in a big chase , that horse , depend upon it , is not only fit , but can j ump the course .

The Liverpool hero has a wonderfully lean ,

- clever looking head , with that unerring sign of brain power , great width between the eyes . “ On his side was still visible the one which

- Mr. Widger had to administer , left handed . just as the horse cleared Cathal in the final ’ 1 8 0 I n Sca rlet a na Silk

m run home . Fro his box we proceeded to that in which Waterford was unconcernedly resting his stately frame . This great banging k N bay, loo ing a Grand ational horse all over , would have taken his own part in the con test

of had not the death his owner , just a fort night before the race , prevented his starting . Both these horses are magnificent fencers in private , and , barring those mishaps to which

horsefl esh all is liable , it might fairly be said of them that they never fall .

— - Sna plock a very corky looking gentleman

— or l in the stable and two three more , usefu ones , and that win in their turn , were briefly

wa s a s visited , before I conducted into charm ing a little house as one could picture , faced

Mr by a large wooden veranda , where .

Ga tla nd of smokes his cigar , and dreams

to . Liverpool winners , past , present , and come O nce inside the door , my eyes were quickly glued to the numerous good pictures of equine heroes who have brought fame and fortune to

sea - their clever trainer . But a mist began to show itself, the afternoon waned ; and as I

’ 1 8 2 I n Sca rlet a na S iM

afterwards to F . B . Atkinson (in whose colours he ran for the Grand N ational) for a thousand pounds . Escott trained and rode

- him , and after j umping on to the race course , the two Sussex - schooled horses had the rest

to of the fight themselves , Alfriston just beat ing Lewes in the run home . S T EEPLEC HAS E RI D I N G

’ N M R D of M n ll I O . e e s , writing Mr y reign in

Leicestershire , tells us that it was in that ’ t “ great sportsman s day tha the hard riding , or we should rather say , quick riding to hounds which has ever since been practised

1 . was first brought nto vogue The late Mr .

of —a Childe , Kinlet Hall , Shropshire sports

of man the highest order , and a great personal

— to friend of Mr . Meynell is said have first set the example and the art of riding a chace may be said to have arrived at a state of perfection quite unknown at any other ” period of time . Doubtless this increased pace in “ the art of riding a chace ” it was that first turned men ’ s thoughts in the

of direction steeplechasing . We all remember that now historic m ot ' What fun we might

’ have if it wasn t f or these d d hounds 1 83 ’ 1 8 4 I n Sca rlet a na S ilt

If some good fairy would come down to earth , and appearing before a young man about to embrace the delightful , if perilous , pursuit of steeplechase riding if the fay were to offer him the choice of many gifts for his protection , unhesitatingly would I counsel

N ot him to take the gift of coolness . that “ coolness is , in itself, by any means the t whole armour of light , but that wi hout it all other qualities , such as pluck , good judg

a nd ment , seat , hands , are rendered almost nugatory . The plucky rider without dis

n cretio , the man whose seat and hands are undeniable , but who is apt to get in a flurry

difi culties the moment he finds himself in , “ ” had better be wise in time , and refrain from trying his luck and perilling his neck

One h by riding between the flags . can ardly go through the hunting season without see “ ing Courage take a man into many a tight ” a nd him out place , Coolness bring of it w ith credit . Another most important part of the equip — ment of a steeplechase rider one that is

’ 18 6 I n Sca rlet a na SiM

’ Memories of riding one s first steeplechase

sa d are , I should y, har ly satisfactory ones as

. N or a rule is this to be wondered at . The

of to whole the surroundings are strange us ,

of the - of the noise race course, the rush the

increa sed a ce horses at their fences , the p above that required for hunting , and the anxiety to win—all these things and a dozen others that do not occur to me at the moment of one writing tend to confuse and agitate .

And v , again , the no ice is presumably very young , perhaps only a boy , and in such case the nerves are peculiarly susceptible and liable

- a - to easy disarrangement . Half dozen rides in public will probably cure all this , but those half—dozen are hardly pleasurable ones to the

of generality beginners . Such experiences “ ’ might be mostly se t to the music of E

’ dunno where e are l

of One the worst dangers , in my humble

is of Opinion , that collision , and everybody knows what a little thing in that line suffices “ ”

t . to upset the apple car It is always , therefore , good policy to jump even the Steep lec/za se Riding 1 8 7 highest place in a fence rather than follow in the general scramble for the weak spot .

Even if actual collision is avoided , you may , mid— whilst in air, find something down in

of front you , and in a crowded field it is often

on best , if you are a fairly safe fencer , to

out of push along in front , and so get the way of the fallers and refusers . At the ’ R same time , we can t all expect to get obert

’ N i htin a ll s on one g g luck , when , occasion in

of a field twenty , he fell when leading , and never got touched by any of the odd nineteen !

of We all know that , in the case a steeple

one chase accident, there is thing which is “ ” of even better than presence mind , and “ ” of that is absence body ; but when , in most “ ” of the tight places a man gets into , neither of these good things is available , the con sequences are apt to be disastrous and anent r the subject of absence of mind I hea d a story ,

of - u some years ago , a north co ntry Curate ,

- a very absent minded man , though a good

o sportsman , who wanted badly to g to ’ 1 8 8 I n Sca rlet a na Silt

R aces , but dared not for fear of his Bishop , who was then staying in the town . In an inspired moment he conceived the idea of blacking his face and going as a nigger All minstrel . went well with the scheme until , j ust in front of the Stand , he came face — to face with a large benevolen t looking old ! gentleman , the Bishop himself In complete forgetfulness of the aid which burnt cork had

n - lent to his toilet , the abse t minded Curate raised his hat , disclosing his fair and curly locks to the horrified Episcopal gaze ! And even this case of clerical absence of mind was

n fairly capped by the followi g story , to the truth of which I can absolutely pledge my self. The Curate in question had been invited by some friends to dine , and meet his Bishop .

In due course he arrived , late in the winter afternoon , and was shown up to his room to dress . The dinner hour came , but the Curate did not . The hour, but not the man All the guests , including the great ecclesiastic , were assembled ; the minutes slowly passed , but still no sign . At length the host despatched

’ 1 9 0 I n Sca rlet a na S iM

- sa his the story books y, down he went , over

’ horse s shoulder , leaving the wretched man in

o on nolens o olens. front to g and win ,

II

As instancing the calm and beautiful way in which some owners expect you to risk your “ ” life for the honour and glory of the thing and their peculiar benefit , I may mention a case that happened to me at a Hunt Steeple chase meeting some years back . I was just getting “ clothed and in my right mind ” t after riding in the firs race , when an excited

of gentleman whom , to the best my belief, I had never even seen before in my life , came up to me and said

“ ’ M ha s ot y jockey failed me , and I ve g two n horses ru ning here this afternoon . Will you ride for me ? ”

I asked which they were , and he told

i s n - r d me . Then w th the utmost a gf oi he added

’ of I don t think , as a matter fact , that Steefilecna se Riding 1 9 1

l either will get over the course . I shou d — ’ — think both I m certain one will fall “ I passed . An old hand once said to me after I had been knocked down by another horse refusing it in a steeplechase , Why did you go at (the fence)to the left hand of mentioning ’ “ You uh the refuser s name . knew how ” wa s certain he at his fences . “ Yes , but how could I tell which way he wa s u going to run o t I replied . “ N ine horses out of ten whip round to the left , because you carry your flail in your right

. You hand should have been where I was , ” of w a s on the right hand side him , the answer .

The loss of a stirrup - iron is a thing of f re quent occurrence in steeplechase riding , and though we ought all to be able to get over

finish the fences comfortably without them , f ing is quite a dif erent matter , and the loss

one . is a severe Besides this , if the iron a “ ” one out fin e biggish , and we have weighed , it may mean disqualification . But if it has 1 9 2 I n S ca rlet a nd S iM

merely slipped off the foot , a judicious kick with the toe turned very much inwards will

n ofte recover it .

’ I don t think much of either whip or spur

of as a means increasing speed in a horse , M either across country or on the flat . any a race has been lost by the injudicious use of one not f or , or both ; and were it a whole

of of some dread the law libel , I would give an instance of this , which occurred in the

Cesarewitch , not very many years back , to a horse I frequently rode myself. Archer , who was close up with the leaders at the finish , was my authority for saying that the horse

won n must have by five or six le gths , instead of being beaten , but for the j ockey picking “ up his whip to win with a flourish . The “ ” stable was nea rly 9000 out over that

On whip mark returning to scale , the j ockey immediately excused himself and blamed his horse for being ungenerous in stopping .

’ An d I if he hadn t stopped , should have blamed him for being a d d fool !

his answered trainer , looking straight at the

194 I n Sca rlet a nd S iM weighed out for a race in a faded dirty “ Mr looking silk , at which . Manning was gazing in some curiosity . Quoth the latter ? ” What colour do you call that , eh ” w sir . Claret , , was the ans er

’ ? t Claret , eh Well , here doesn t seem much ”

t . colour lef in it , anyhow “ ’ it s sir Perhaps a light dinner claret , , promptly responded the re ddubta ble Tommy . Knowledge of pace is a thing we may talk or write about for ever , but the school of experience is the only place in which we

r shall lea n what it actually means . “ D ’ on t go away , it makes me feel lonely said Sam Daniels to the rest of the field one day when he was on that smart horse

Reform (by Gunboat out o f Untrue). He ” had got a steadier of between twelve and thirteen stone up in a hurdle race , and dared h not come along with the others . The lig tly

of weighted ones knew, course , that their “ ” only chance was to hurry , but as Sam came by , a hundred yards from the finish ,

“ ’ he said , I knew you d all come back to Steep leMa se R i ding 1 9 5

me . It was knowledge of pace that made him confident , and told him he need not hurry his horse . Perhaps no greater example of this inv a lu able quality has ever been afforded than John

’ Osborne s handling of Lord Clifden , in that “ ” memorable St . Leger when the big horse “ ” wa s his like the little boat , all astern , until pilot— who had never bustled him a yard to — make up his lost ground was enabled to collar the leaders close home , and win .

ordha m Poor George F , who had said he

would eat Lord Clifden , hoofs and all , if h he won , was frequently asked by his brot er professionals when he intended to commence the meal .

R on Kilwa rlin obinson , who was for the

1 8 8 Leger of 7, also showed great coolness and patience under singularly trying circum stances , for the horse went straight up with

one him when the flag fell , and at time he was over a hundred yards behind everything . Loud were the offers to lay 2 5 to 1 against him in running ; but when once he took hold I 9 6 I n Sca rlet a nd S iM of bit w his , he came along ith giant strides ,

- and won by three quarters of a length . George Fordha m wa s as near perfection as a race - rider as it is possible to get in this sublunary sphere , and I suppose the worst race he ever rode in his life was the solitary

on Sir Derby he won Bevys , on which occa sion he came round Tattenham Corner so wide t that he lost lengths , and then after aking

the d the lead at Bell , ro e his horse right out i to the end , as though hotly pressed , noth ng , a s of i him a matter fact , be ng near . Contrast that performance with those of the Fordham

old of f of days , the Fordham the wonder ul i N fin shes at ewmarket , when with Tom

old Chaloner , Custance , Tom French , John Morris (as good as most of them if he had “ so e t hoc enus omne not been deaf), g , he w ” itched the world with noble horsemanship . Despite the fact that we have now many really sterling j ockeys , I almost feel inclined to relapse into the cry of fogeydom la ud a t r t m re a ti o e p o s c . Mention of Tom Chaloner reminds me of

I 9 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt

da — horses behind them , too , that y Prince “ ” of R w m Charlie , the King the o ley ile ;

Wenlock , who subsequently won the St .

’ ’ Leger ; and Lord Falmouth s Queen s Mes

to . senger , wit Amongst the most interesting of latter day turf celebrities must be classed the late A M lec Taylor , of anton . A greater master ” of old Al his art never lived than grim ec , “ as he was called . Grim in a sense he might be , but speaking for myself, I can safely sa y that not only was his grimness

to never shown me , but that I always found — him one of the cleverest m en entirely apart —I I from his training skill ever met . t was M my good fortune to stay near anton , regu la rl y riding the morning gallops each day , for

1 8 8 8 some weeks , in , and every hour I found some fresh amusement and p a bulum f or the

’ n Al dr mi d in ec Taylor s y and caustic humour . After the work had been got through one morning , and whilst my arms were still aching from the attentions of the hard - pulling

Stourhead , the great trainer invited me to Steep leMa se Riding 19 9 accompany him round the boxes wherein the

of yearlings reposed , a large proportion them

’ - being the grey ticked young Buchanan s .

of Whilst on the tour of inspection , one the lads in attendance came into the stable , ex hibiting a very fine specimen o f what is

’ ’ vulgarly called a black eye . Taylor s keen optic fixed him at once , and the proprietor of the black eye obviously jibbed under the inspection . He began in a somewhat lame and halting manner to explain

I — I of had a bit an accident , sir , last

’ a - runnin night, sir . I was j ust into the cottage , sir , and I runned against the door — — ’ post , sir , and and and that s how I got ” sir this black eye , . Taylor waited patiently for the whole of the explanation ; then with an absolutely immovable face , he replied “ Quite right , Tommy . Always tell the truth , my boy , whatever it costs you , and

on out of turning his heel , he led the way the “ vi of stable , lea ng the hero the overnight scrap ” ping match a c rushed and withered thing . 2 0 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

On one occasion I was with him when a “ of person the sporting gent order , bolder than most (for it took a bold man to ask Alec Taylor impudent questions !) accosted “ i M Mr is him w th orning , . Taylor . Which

’ f or or it to be next week s race , the horse ? ” the mare alluding to Eiridsp ord and Reve

’ d Or t , then being backed for the Ci y and E Suburban at psom . “ ” I sat tight for an explosion , but none

of M ob came . The master anton merely served “ W Eirids ord ell , should you back p if he could give So- and - So a stone over the dis ” “ ’ tance ? and the clever gentleman on the nod s

- - -a - as good as wink principle , exclaimed ld ! ” ff shou . o I , Mr Taylor and walked , highly pleased with the result of his impudent questioning . “ And so should I , drily observed Taylor ,

’ of but he c a n t as we got out earshot , The photograph of the man who succeeded “ in getting a rise out of Alec Taylor would

n be an u ique possession .

2 0 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Silt

. won lbs to Vatican . He in a canter , and Taylor naturally looked upon the Derby as

‘ over . But there was trouble in store for the colt . A week before the race his off fore leg filled , and he had to be stopped in his work . The leg fined down all right , but

n ot E when Teddi gton g to psom , the change of stables and the journey combined upset H him , and he declined to feed . owever , w despite these dra backs , he made short work of of his opponents , and beat the large field

- thirty one with a bit to Spare . “ To have an eye all round about you , is

You an invaluable thing in riding a race . ought not only to know what your own horse is doing , but be able to form a fairly accurate

’ opinion of how other people s horses are

on You getting . may be beat , but that does not so much matter if every other horse in the race is in the same condition . Again , if your most dangerous opponent is at all in “ ” clined o u to turn thief, y ought to be able to see it , and then go up to him , and never

’ ’ M c give him a moment s peace . any a ra e Steep lecli a se Riding 2 0 3

won has been that way , when all seemed

smooth sailing for the rogue . Horses are wonderfully quick to find out how fa r they can take liberties with their

! One fences , and so are some of their riders

man , who rides almost as many winners

between the flags nowadays as anybody , said

to me a few weeks back , when we were dis cussing the relative merits of the Sandown

and Kempton obstacles , Sandown looks the

ou worst of the two , but y can brush through

’ You the tops of the fences there . can t do ” that at Kempton .

’ N ow too , although a horse can t be good

a j umper to win steeplechases , he may be

bi Y or inex too g a j umper to do so . oung p erienc ed animals usually jump a great deal bigger at their fences than they need , and

—o ne on this is a fault the right side , be it always remembered— that practice alone will “ ’ hi h cure . It s all right when they rise g

Ga tla nd enough ; never mind the rest , said to n of me , speaki g of the schooling young

one horses to jump , and no can teach the 2 04 I n S ca rlet a nd Sile

Alfriston trainer much in his own line of business , as we know . But if an animal jumps much bigger than he need when racing , it is perfectly clear that he will beat

he himself. As a rule , however , a horse , be

’ or his hunter chaser , measures fence very

not accurately , and whilst taking care to hit

too ha rd or sa et the top f f y, rarely wastes his strength by overjumping an obstacle .

Indeed , the close shave some of them will make is calculated to cause the rider to “ sit

on up a bit occasions . One thing that has always been a puzzle to me , is that many a horse which is by no means either a good or a safe hunter acquits himself very much better when running over a Point to Point steeplechase course than he does in following hounds . The fences are , as a general rule , larger , and the pace more severe , and yet I have seen over and over again the indiff erent hunter running under

on these conditions take his revenge , and

inv a ri fence better than , the horse which has “ ” a - ably proved his superior as fox catcher .

2 0 6 I n S ca rlet a nd Sille

at all superfluous in steeplechase riding . A chance to get the rails at the bend for home , “ the sight of a dangerous opponent peck ” — in ing , as he lands over a fence which case it may be sound policy to push along a bit , so as to give him all the more ground to — make up the chance of getting on a sounder

of t piece ground than the res , all these and many more like matters are things to watch

ro os for throughout the whole contest . Ap p “ ” Mr of eyes , . Johnny Dormer , who was one of the boldest and best of cross - country riders , sustained a terrible injury (whilst riding Miss Chippendale for the late Duke of Hamilton) which resulted in the loss of an eye . A lady asked him , some time afterwards , whether he intended to continue steeplechase riding , to which he made the smart reply “ What ! with only one eye ? I always ” three wanted eyes whilst I was riding . How sorry we all were when Cloister only just failed to give him the prize he coveted at Liverpool . Steep lecha se Riding 2 0 7 So quickly and unexpectedly may the whole aspect of the race be changed , that “ instructions ” to a competent rider have often proved themselves a very doubtful

n is blessi g . It more blessed to give than

is of to receive , and this especially true instructions . A few instances will best illustrate what I mean . “ You are not to go in front on any account whatever . In this race a very

a crafty gentleman made running , or , to spe k m ore correctly , he waited in front , that is , that wanting to stop the pace , he j ust kept going , his horse travelling well within him

of ro res self, all the time , whilst the rate p g sion did not suit the j ockey told to wait at all . The latter very well knew that unless he could go up and increase the pace he would assuredly be beaten . Hampered with “ ” w instructions , ho ever , he dared not set them at defiance , and thus the race was thrown away . “ — Lay right off never mind what you

’

. ou think about it . I don t want to see y 2 0 8 I n Sca rlet a nd S iM even attempt to come until the corner of ” the enclosure rails . Result : At the point indicated the horse

w one comes ith run , and going twice as fast as anything in the race , is beaten half a length ! There was not time for him to

u get p . N ever mind how hot they try to make it for you , come right through . In strict obedience to orders the rider came right

: through the pace was a tremendous one ,

off and his horse was beaten a hundred yards , w hen , by regulating his tactics according to

n m surrounding circumsta ces , things ight have A f . t been entirely di ferent all events , a week later the defeated animal beat his

one conqueror , and the that finished third to him over the same distance , and at the w or t o . One same weights , within a pound more example , and I have finished .

“ ’ Don t let me se e you in front till you ” are over the last fence . The horse was a t hard puller , and very impe uous at his fences .

He was usually sent along in his races , and

2 10 I n Sca rlet a nd S iM

the equine world butchered along , and their

of tempers ruined by this class jockey , always ” draws me considerably Of course , owners cannot help themselves in the matter on

of oh of account the weights , but , , the pity it

If by chance the mannikin does win , it mostly means that his horse has at least

lbs . 7 . in hand

A ro os of m p p instructions , a ost respected trainer f or whom I have now and then ridden

fid et was an extremely nervous , g y man , and O rather given to tutoring his riders . nce he had got hold of a very rough specimen of the groom -j ockey to ride for him in a steeple

to chase , and whilst we were walking down

M one the post , a bitter arch wind chilling to the marrow at the time , I overheard the following colloquy

Tra iner N ow off ou . lay , mind , till y get

of to the foot the hill , and “ J ke Y s h oc e . y. , I know ; all rig t “ ’ Tra iner - And you re not to come with him till ” ke ! J oc . y All right , all right (blow Steep lecha se Riding 2 1 1 ing the tips of his blue fingers to warm them). “ Tra iner . And mind you keep cool J k “ ff oc ey (fairly roused). Garn and stu

’ yourself ! ow could I keep anything else a day like this “ I am rejoiced to see that the powers that

n w be have o come to allow a 9 st . 7 lbs . minimum in steeplechasing . In a former book , published some eight years ago , I wrote , l m I think that at least 7 bs. ight be

off m taken steeplechasing weights , aking the

You own re minimum 9 st. 7 lbs . may a m a rka bl u y smart horse , which is put p in the handicap scale so much , that , although he might stand a fair chance of giving the weight away to the rest , is yet not big and

1 . or 1 s . powerful enough to carry 3 st 3 t 7 lbs .

or l three four mi es across country , and then ,

to as in many cases , race up a hill with it

is the finish . In my opinion , nothing gained by putting these crushing weights on a horse , and surely , if it be right for an animal ever

t be for a to carry them racing, hen it would 2 1 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Sill:

m c on co paratively short distan e the flat , and not when he has to lift them over big fences , at a time of the year when the ground is t almos invariably in a heavy state , and under conditions which make the course two miles ” in length at the very least . I believe that most owners and trainers will agree that the change has been a beneficial one . The worst place to fall on the average steeple

is - chase course at the guard railed ditch . I have seen horses brought down in all manner of ways at this ridiculous obstacle . I say m ridiculous , because it is not natural to ake a steep - sided cutting in smooth turf where no growth gives evidence of what there is to be

- of jumped , erect a foot high rail in front it , and then expect a horse to get over that and

ha s the fence beyond , unless he been specially

N o one ditch on trained to it. objects to a the take off side of a fence ; it is begging

a sk the question when men you this . The nicest steeplechase fence I ever rode over was “ ” on the ditch fence the Brackley course ,

ut wa s - b then it a ditch , and no guard rail

2 14 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

Smashing the guard - rail ; not seeing the ditch properly , and galloping into it ; fright of it causing the horse to take Off too soon , and thereby jump into the fence beyond all these , and many more besides , are the accidents one may look for at this unnatural

Obstacle . TO wind up an argument upon its merits and demerits , a friend Of mine once said to me I believe you funk it ” I do , was my answer , and I am not

a at all ashamed to s y so .

Oh ! Beware then , neophyte when coming at this fence ; but remember there must be

( 6 m ” no sni ing at it ! Come right along and rouse your horse , without hustling him , at it . “ ’ Off The man who rides his horse s head , is N simply bound to come to grief here . ever

n shall I forget seei g a gentleman rider , sitting

his very high in his saddle , driving horse as

Of D if he were in the thick a erby finish , as

his he hasted to the ditch . The horse put

in so toes the ground and stopped , but not the gallant gentleman on his back . Without Steep lecha se R iding 2 1 5

f his any ef ort , nay , without any volition Of own , he sailed gaily through the blue em

rea n py , absolutely clearing the ditch and merely brushing the fence beyond , as he alighted on terra firma once again ! N oth

his ing , apparently , could have exceeded own astonishment at finding himself where he was I And now for one of the most important

’ of a s parts the steeplech e rider s equipment , nerve . Before we reached the mature age of

f“! of sc O in l twenty , course we all gy answered

of the question Of what was want nerve , in “ one the word Funk . W But it is not funk , nevertheless . hen we are very young at such pursuits as steeple chase riding , we are , for the most part , so

i nora nt gloriously g Of the danger , that we rather rej oice at a roll over than otherwise .

on Later , when we become alive to the fact that we are engaged in a somewhat risky pastime , the consciousness Of it may momen ta ril y unsteady us , and this we call ner

u n s On v o s es . e Of the boldest and best Of 2 1 6 I n Sca rlet a nd S il/c

steeplechase riders I ever contended against , told me himself that oftentimes , and especially “ Of f before the start a race , he suf ered the ” “ ” tortures Of the damned . N ow if funk had been the true seat Of the disease , surely that feeling would have endured until he had landed in safety over the last fence . But

n it did ot . Directly the field was despatched

its upon j ourney all nerve troubles vanished ,

one and he was not only bold , but Of the

- sa coolest headed men I ever w ride . What is the explanation

Again , where no question of personal risk

’ enters into one s calculation , as , for example ,

on in riding a race the flat , why , in the name

Of all that is wonderful , do we sometimes feel

Of t an increased action the hear , and a sensa tion Of profound wretchedness before mount

? or ing more extraordinary still , why do we

sa - feel it , y at Kempton to day , and not at all ? at Sandown to - morrow Why do we say to ourselves that it is “ really time we gave up ” race riding this week , whilst in the next we laugh to scorn the idea Of resigning the

2 1 8 I n S ca rlet a nd Silk stinc t , which of your opponents you will ultimately have to reckon with just before

’ - i the judge s little white painted box s reached . There is no question of “ nerves ” now ! All your energies are concentrated into the one

— how desire to beat your opponents no matter ,

You no matter at what personal risk . feel like

he— a gambler, only more reckless than you play not with paltry sovereigns ; your stake

be is life and limb . There is an Opening tween the horses racing in front Of you ; a

’

one . ou very small , tis true But y hesitate not a moment , and catching your horse by the head , set your teeth , and ram him through .

All one t ou but drop back beaten , and hen y se t to , head , hands , and heels , to beat the

A n . t survivor mid the most i ense excitement , shouting , flying Of dust , and cracking Of

ou whips , the two of y shoot past the post

? N ou locked together. A dead heat O , as y

ou turn , after pulling up your horse , y catch

Of si ght the numbers being hoisted , and your heart gives a great leap when you see your — — own the mystic 7 a t the top Steep lecha se Riding 2 19

W hen riding a horse that you have reason h able grounds for supposing will fall wit you , it is a good plan to leave your spurs behind . They are apt to get crosswise in the stirrup

ou irons , and hang y up in the event of an upset . Always try to fall away from your horse ; that is , if he falls to the left , do you

‘

vice versa . try and fall to the right , and

f o f or Although I have no af ecti n a whip , it is not without its uses : as when a horse is fencing carelessly ; and again , when he seems doubtful in his mind whether to jump or e ’ N refuse . In Casse T te s Grand ational , Page had to use his whip heavily at the final hurdles to keep the little mare on her legs at all . And if a horse lies too far out of “ 7) his ground , a j udicious one may be of service in getting him to go up and j oin

one or his horses . Again , two strokes may

h Of be invaluable j ust at the finis a race .

on But to keep whipping a horse , merely proclaims to everybody that his rider is

a ss both a butcher and an . These remarks ,

Of course , do not apply to men who regularly 2 2 0 I n S ca rlet a nd Silk

ride their own horses , and know their char acter and peculiarities thoroughly : no rules need be laid down in such cases . One Of the most important Of all things

on or in race riding , whether the flat across country , is to take a pull at your horse in order to steady him and get him well back on to his legs for the final struggle . The greatest nicety is required in making your “ ” ff f or e ort , horses rarely come a second time , and if your run does not last to the

finish you may , generally speaking , drop your hands and give it up as a bad j ob .

not too Finally , it is wise to leave much

Dis ground to be made up at the finish . tances , like many other things in this wicked A world , are deceptive . bove all things , never put yourself in the truly awful position Of losing your race after you have got it well w R ’ on. Think Of the ecording Angel s efforts to keep pace with the eloquence of your

CC luckless backers , and never get caught napping ! I may just add a few words as to the

2 2 2 I n S ca rlet a nd Silk

regularly go across country year after year , and then compare that n umber with the cases

- Of fatal accident , we shall find the death rate

ne a very low o . Beside the few cases I have

ma already mentioned , I y just recall that

or so . within the last twenty years , the Hon N Greville ugent Mr . St . one Of the — pluckiest little horsemen everseen he never — weighed eight stone in his life and Mr. Goodwin have been killed at Sandown ; and R Lord ossmore on the Windsor course , while R riding Harlequin . Lord ossmore was too tall for a jockey , though a bold , good horse man ; he had been terribly unlucky in getting dangerous falls for some time before his fatal ride . Sandown was also the scene Of fatal

to accidents Clay , the professional , and to

Captain Boyce . It was a remarkable cir c um sta nc e that Captain Boyce rose from his

re fall with apparently little injury . He turned to the stand , dressed , and went up to

a nd town by train , dined at his club , a few hours after going to his rooms wa s suddenly taken ill and expired . A horse called Coercion S teep leMa se R iding 2 2 3 fell at the regulation ditch when running at Four Oaks Park (Birmingham), killing Sly

him one who rode , Of the best conducted young men in his profession . If my memory serves me the horse belonged to Mr. H .

Barclay (the owner Of the great Bendigo), and

on of it was Woodhouse , another the popular

’ brewer s animals , that poor young George Brown — barely twenty years Of age — met with his fatal accident this summer ( 1 895 )

. on at Brighton Willy Macdonald , the flat ,

Sensier and , in a hurdle race , were both killed through their horses falling and leav ing them defenceless on the ground for others

. Of R to gallop over Mr . Lamport , the oyal A rtillery , was killed whilst riding a gallop

E or over fences at psom four five years ago , and some time before that Sam Daniels lost his - life in schooling the hurdle racer Thunder .

As -field to fatal accidents in the hunting ,

is of there nothing in the shape a record ,

to . however rough , to refer But if there

n were , I venture to thi k that they are very

the a few , especially considering v st number 2 2 4 I n Sca rlet a nd Sile

Of people who hunt nowadays , and the not inconsiderable proportion Of rash chil “ ” un dren , inexperienced City gents , and utterable “ duffers Of every class amongst them .

n In co cluding this chapter , I may just name m some Of the prominent horsemen of my ti e ,

or who have either recently ceased riding , i Of may st ll be seen in the saddle . course the list does not pretend to be an exhaustive one . Of the amateurs , I would mention

Mr . . Thom . Arthur Yates , Messrs . G S p “ ” son , Thomas , Peter Crawshaw , Captain “ ” E D . oggy Smith , Lord Marcus Beresford ,

P . Wilson , Hon . George Lambton , the present “

M Mr. Earl of into ( Maj ors Fisher ,

R D a lbia c E . . Owen , Crawley , and ; Captains M W . B . orris (killed riding over a small fence “ ” M in the Cheshire country), Bay iddleton (killed in a steeplechase in the Midlands);

- M . . essrs . Hope Johnstone , C J Cunningham , — W Arthur Coventry now the O iCla l starter Of — J M R . the Jockey Club . . ichardson , D Thirl

M a nd well , the Beasleys , the oores (Garrett

2 2 6 I n Sca rle t a nd Silt

two in conclusion , which applies equally to ? riding in silk or scarlet It is this , that for jumping on to a fallen rider there is absolutely no excuse . Were I to quote five hundred examples Of the horrible mischief done in this way , it would add nothing more Of weight to the warning than by just men

‘ tionin ca ses one g two typical , in years gone by , and another Of modern times . A man literally landed over a fence on the top Of

his two Squire Osbaldeston , and broke leg in or three places ; the sufferer barely escaped amputation Of the limb as the consequence . The other instance occurred in N ortha mp tonshire , where a lady was the sufferer and another Of the same sex the culprit .

As we know , this , most unhappily , ended h fatally . T ere is nothing gained by the “ ” I s eo practice except a lead . it right to j p ? a rdise a human life in order to Obtain it H U RD LE RAC I N G

2 3 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Sill:

it is agree with him ; and then , Of course , a “ ” u ! case Of p ll devil , pull baker as to who shall win the deal . But in the ordinary

Of course things , your hurdle racer will not take long to prepare if he is only even

d n . mo erately willi g There are degrees , too ,

— a s h Of willingness . Scamp hor e I ave alluded to elsewhere — was quite agreeable

do to his best in a hurdle race , although he would gallop hard against three hurdles

Of a nd out five knock them down ; Quits , on not the other hand , was willing to do

I n so even this . fact he was imbued with — Conservatism he came from Sha rdeloe s that he resolutely set his face against the “ ” illegitimate game altogether , and would

n of have one it . To begin with and

t n this , whe her you are schooli g a horse for hurdle jumping , or getting over a country

on a small Obstacle , such as a pole laid

d u w h uprights ressed p it fresh gorse , and not

e n t in exc edi g hree feet height , should be set “ ” a nd the le d d up , novice over it by a stai and clever j ump e r . Le t him have it as slowly H urdle R a cing 2 3 1

as he likes , at first ; j umping it at full speed will very soon follow when once the young

’ ster s natural nervousness shall have worn

Off . If the beginner shows a disinclination to jump , a good plan is to ride him by himself over a farm , taking him over very & c . low places , gaps in hedges , small grips , , until something like confidence comes to him , then bring him back to your gorse fence again . When he has surmounted this two or three times in safety (and be careful not to make his lessons too long , for fear Of dis w w gusting him ith the hole business), he

u may be taken at a low h rdle , with the lead ,

n agai , Of a good reliable jumper . If his progress is still satisfactory , increase the pace a bit , and let him come fairly up to

e ou his fenc at galloping pace . But y cannot be too patient with him ; if he is nervous or

ou - even perverse , y must be good humoured with him ; it is not a bit Of use meeting ill temper with ill -temper you only make A M things worse . s Charles athews said Of “ ” ” n Honesty bei g the best policy , so can 2 3 2 I n S ca rlet a nd Sile

“ I say that I have tried both ways , and w ” “ I kno . But always keep this pasted ” into your hat . However small the Obstacle

or or is , and whether it be hurdles , pole , what

ot um ed not , it has g to be j p , not run through or in any way knocked down . Nothing is more mischievous than for a beginner to find h that he can do this . Be you very sure t at he will take an early Opportunity Of trying

. to ff run through something sti , such as a stile or post and rails , in which case the horse is sure to finish a poor second to the timber ! After he has galloped satisfactorily over three

of or four flights low hurdles , you can increase them to the ordinary height which he will

- have to encounter on the race course , and a couple of good gallops over these , in the company Of two or three more horses to give him confidence , will pretty well fit him for his new business in life . It should be borne in mind that in a hurdle race a horse must not stop to jump ;

so neither , indeed , may he do in a modern steeplechase . He ought to gallop right up

2 3 4 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

’ M Page s at Sandown , when Lord arcus

to Beresford , who was then starter the l Jockey Club , to d me that he had been to t see him , and found his head li erally split open : how he ever recovered is a marvel ; but then Page himself is a marvel ! Poor

Sensier D s , again , and Sam aniel both lost “ ” their lives over the sticks . I remember seeing a comical hurdle race

Old run at Bromley , where a blundering black

Be e mare , named (I think) Queen , made all — “ the running it was in the Old days of mile

six and a half over flights , for the abolition Of which our tha nks are due to Lord Marcus

Beresford - and she knocked down a hurdle

’

. at every fligh t. I don t think we had to

one ! on h j ump It was this course , too , t at

sa w I a ridiculous incident , many years ago .

One n horse kept breaki g away at the start , ” until “ the man with the flag got into a

out fearful rage , and let at the j ockey Of the

in recalcitrant no measured terms . I must sa y I think the rider in question wa s trying to aggravate him in order to make the rest I f n rdle Ra cing 2 3 5

h laug . We were about a hundred yards behind the post as the starter kept fuming “ GO at us to back ; turn round , all the lot ” ou O ! one— I Of y , and g back and all but D — fancy it was Old ick Shepherd did go back .

one That , however , was standing stock still up at the post , and the starter , being short “

d . sighte , never noticed him We were all ” ov er ’ the place , and naturally thought the wrathful Official would call the “ advance ” guard back , but suddenly we were electrified by hearing him scream out GO and seeing d his flag rop . Away went the man in front like lightning , and no one ever got near him throughout the ra c e ! One Of the dangers Of hurdle racing especially when there are a lot Of runners , and not too much room at the Obstacles

’ u is that your horse s view is obsc red , and he

t consequen ly takes Off a bit late , or , perhaps , too soon . Again , if a refuser suddenly comes

ou o u right across y , y will be lucky to escape e coming down . And h re let me pause for a moment to ass ure my readers that however 2 3 6 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

rich their vocabulary may , and probably will be under such circumstances , the flow Of language is not half so effectual as a quick ! N snatch at the reins owadays , we get such “ ” wonderful class horses running in hurdle “ ’ of races , that the Old saying , Oh , he s use ” less ; put him into a selling hurdle race ,

out . has pretty well died Chandos , Hesper ,

f e w Hampton , and Lowlander , a years back , didn ’ t read like being beaten by the ordinary “ ” leather flapper ; and Stourhead , winner Of the Goodwood Stakes ; Benburb ; Cornbury .

’ winner of this year s Metropolitan at

E a nd Of psom ; Pitcher , others the same sort , too numerous for mention here , that

- have been at the timber topping trade , would all take some catching by the average “ ’ 7 rip , which in times past was wont to find “ ” a last refuge f or the destitute over the sticks . An incorrigible j oker once said to me as we watched the horses gallop on N ewmarket Heath “ There goes one that ought to make a

S O M E E Q U I N E E RRAT I C S

2 4 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

hedge where he had refused . He jumped it d imme iately . We had a splendid gallop f across the Vale , and he never O fered to turn his head from wood or water all the day ; in ” t “ fac , he j umped as if he loved jumping , R as the dealers say . iding back with my excellent host , and chatting over the run (is it not the most delightful chat in the “ he casually remarked , I meant to tell you that whenever your horse gets a

on stranger his back , he makes a point Of refusing the first fence , and trying to bolt

’ he never tries it home . If he doesn t succeed , a a in tha t da g y. Last week my cousin rode t him , and he refused the first fence and hen

Off took himself to his stable again . I t was merely an idiosyncrasy , such as

our many Of best horses , both racers and

is hunters , possess , and it , for the most part ,

’ ’ d or the men who on t , won t , understand these peculiarities that make perfectly harmless

One horses into ferocious savages . race horse likes his own particular cat always

A wa s with him . Blair thol never at rest Sc ine E guine E rra tics 2 4 3 without the Old grey pony that lived in his

One w box . horse hich I constantly rode declined to be mounted unless I wore a coat

A VVa lde over my silk jacket . nother (Lord

O out grave , by rlando Of Marionette by Stockwell) would never gallop a yard until the last half- mile Of his j ourney on the training ground , and with his trainer up

’ n ! Mr would ot gallop at all . Bowes s

so Chivalry hated Perrin , that he would have savaged him at any moment he could have got near him ; and only since beginning

Old Cov ertside this chapter , I have seen , the steeplechase horse , led down the course at

- Harlow , to be mounted at the starting post , with his hood turned right over his head to

him . or blindfold Many a horse cannot , will “ not , race until he has put himself outside a good dose of whiskey ; and I think it was

of who Sea Song , winner many short races , always endeavoured to lay down on the man

f or saddling him a race . Truly , horses are curious in their temperaments , and the man to succeed with them must not only be 2 4 4 I n Sca rle t a nd Silk

interested in the work , but should possess untiring patience and aptitude for studying

Of their peculiarities . Possessed that patience , there are very few equine puzzles to which d you cannot iscover the key .

J

LE of ntire horses are , course , the most

cranky and self- willed ; though out of a m h fairish number I have ridden , I ust say t at they have given me very little trouble . The worst was a great , handsome horse , bought in

own France , which had had matters all his way for three months or so before he came “ ” wa s into my hands . He purely cussed , and showed vice a nd temper f or absolutely nothing but the pleasur e Of getting his own N way . aturally , the very first time I rode him we had to fight it out. N O compromise

n was possible , and an exceedi gly warm twenty minutes ensued , but he was a very nice horse

’ Mr Broomiela w afterwards . . Chaplin s was

one an awful brute , and would come at any

- Open mouthed like a savage dog. He was occasionally so bad that a cloth had to be thrown over his head before his jockey could

2 46 I n Sca rlet a nd S ilé no horse is naturally bad - tempered ; but the exception only goes , we know , to prove the

- - rule . I bought a three year Old out Of a racing stable she was as quiet in and out Of the stable as could be wished ; but soon she developed the most ferocious temper in the

out stable , though perfectly quiet , still , when f O it . Her final performance was half killing

one me Sunday morning in her box . After

N w on . o e that we parted company , no could

sh e t have teased her , as was looked af er by an even - tempered man who had been with me for many years and during the twelve months I had her no one ever got on her back but

f r myself. The only way I can account o the R change in her is the fact that her sire , osi crucian , was a great savage , and I suppose the family failing came out with increasing age . ” Squire Drake Of Sha rdeloes owned a

n wo derful horse in Quits , who took a number

’ Of on fl a t Hunters races the , but could never be induced to j ump at all . Time after time great efforts were made to fit him f or taking part in t steeplechase work , but no power on ear h could Sc ine E guine E rra tics 2 47 make him face a fence ; surely a freak Of temper this , for no physical inability to jump E could ever be detected in him . qually curious is it to see , on the other hand , a horse

out turned in a meadow , disporting himself backwards and forwards over the same fence , apparently f or the sake Of amusement Some h years back I had one t at , to my knowledge , had never done any jumping in his life until be attained the age of sixteen when I rode

one r him over o two made fences . He

a t did not jumped them , though he quite clear

a s them , boldly as a lion , and I then rode him a few times with hounds . He pulled fearfully , and got so excited a s to almost merit the

Of description a mad horse , but would never w b . sa e one refuse anything Sad to y, ho ever ,

Off day , going at a post and rails , took yards in front , and smashed the whole lot , leaving a clean breach through which one might have

- driven a good sized cart , and this lamed him badly . A hunter belonging to a friend Of mine always declined to touch the gruel brought 2 4 8 I n Sca rle t a nd Silk him after a day with hounds ; but if the pail

box was left j ust outside the door Of his , he would always come out and stea l it Perhaps it wa s fortunate this animal had hoofs instead

Of hands , otherwise he might have given trouble in a respectably - conducted stable ! One of the most eccentric horses and cleverest hunters I ever owned— and it mat tered not what country you set him down in , he was equally good in them all— was a weight

- For fl ea l . carrying , bitten grey , Grey Bi ly some years he had been carrying George

Champion , then huntsman to the Southdown h f t Fox ounds , and a erwards for two seasons Of h the Goodwood . e would olloa and almost kick the place down if hounds came anywhere within hearing Of him in his stable . I have never seen a horse so keen on hunting before or n si ce . Of Billy it might be truly said that he had forgotten as much as most horses knew . D uring the two seasons I rode him , my il bod y weight was under eight stone , whilst the horse could carry eighteen to twenty

2 5 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

E or u . f nny very time he j umped a stile , post and rails , his feet seemed to hit the timber all round with an unholy rattling , t but I never knew him make the leas mistake .

or He could fly creep equally well , but there is always a but ” — poor Old Billy was as slow as a top . His best pace was about

his a s fast as a man could kick hat .

Later in life , when Billy had passed into the hands Of a man who hunted solely for the sake Of showing Off his inimitable get -up at “ ” - t covert side , and gassing abou his exploits d d to his lady frien s afterwar s , I met him in “ ”

fielc . the , owner up Hounds had just got away , and over a terrific Obstacle , nearly two feet high , his gallant master had led

We o n the Old grey . ran fast down a lightly ploughed field , through a gateway , into a small coppice beyond . At the far side Of this ran a brook : it was not more than

- Off ten or twelve feet wide , and both take and landing were equally sound . Imme

’ dia tel y Billy s pilot saw it , however , he was

’ for pulling up . He little knew William s Se ine Equine E rra tics 2 5 1

“ ! sporting tastes . Pull up thought the “ v h ! eteran . W at with a start like this , ” and bounds running ? What do you think ? and snatching hold Of his bit , the game

Old w fello went for the brook , like the lion that he was . Over he fl e w with the greatest

one ease . Up went his rider in the air ; for moment the horse’ s head was between the ’ “ - man s legs , and the next , this arm chair and mahogany sportsman cut a voluntary , “ ” k erchuuk ! on and landed , with a great the middle Of his back . Af ter this Billy cleverly eluded his pur — I t suers , and enj oyed am quite cer ain he — immensely enjoyed the rest of the run on

wn his o account .

O N C O N D I T I O N I N G H U N T ERS

THERE can be little doubt that howe ver much sportsmen may deplore the passing away of “ ” f or the good Old days , most reasons , that the modern system Of getting our hunters fit to go is infinitely preferable to that adopted “ by our forefathers . The summer at grass system now finds hardly any followers ; and though I think that a short period Of turning out or of , say in April the early part May , does a horse a great deal Of good in cooling his blood—and grass is far preferable to physic when obtainable in this manner as an altera tive—yet if the run at grass be continued until the weather waxes warm , horses get worried to death with flies , stamp their feet

on to pieces adamantine turf, and probably become weakened from want Of corn ; unless , indeed , they are regularly fed each day , in 2 5 5 2 5 6 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

addition to getting what they can forage f or

I n themselves . a former book , published some

I wrote A m - years ago , roo y loose box , well

a nd w ventilated clean , ith perhaps a couple of

’ hours run in the day in a paddock , and about

is to two feeds Of corn , the way summer

. in hunters I am , I hope , wiser now , and

Of stead running them out by day , I say turn them into the paddock ea ch night during the

f or hot weather , at night the midges cease

- flies from troubling , and the horse are at rest . t In addi ion to this , the heavy dews Of morning t and evening are mos beneficial to the feet , especially if they are at all inclined to get

heated or feverish . There seems to be a practice now growing up

- Of summering hunters in large loose boxes ,

or - laid with tan peat moss , and giving them no exercise or chance Of exercising themselves for from three to four months ; in fact , they never come out Of their boxes at all during

a dva n that period . I confess I fail to see the

is tage Of this system . Surely it an unnatural life for a horse to lead ; his muscles must all

2 5 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

not canters , exceeding half a mile at first , and then gradually lengthening . Long trot

Ou ting also , some soft ground where Obtain able , will be found beneficial . Even when a horse is almost fit , he should never be allowed to travel at his highest rate Of speed : horses are always at their best when running a bit

’ above themselves . I don t believe in the

out system which sends them , either to hunt

e or take part in a st eplechase , when , although

u l f ll Of musc e , they have lost the bloom Of

- t health , possess a lack lustre eye , and wan to carry their heads between their forelegs “ ” - - when led along . The hunted to death looking horse is never the horse at his best at least, that has been my experience , both

- on race course and at covert side .

u In f rtherance Of this idea , it is as well “ ” not to have hunters quite cherry -ripe at Of the beginning Of the season . course I don ’ t mean that they should not be fit to

to go . What I wish convey is , that they should not be fine drawn in No vember . You can get plenty Of condition on a horse On Conditioning H unters 2 5 9

without making him look like a greyhound .

f or The season , as it progresses , will do that you only too eff ectively ; and if you ma ke

u him into a greyho nd to start hunting with , he will be fit to take a header through a keyhole before Christmas ! Speaking of this reminds me of a little scene on N ewmarket

Old Heath . Poor George Fordham was gazing

- D at the weedy looking iscord , j ust as he ha d — B been saddled for a race the iennial , I “ ’ think it was . He d make a beautiful grey hound if you could get him to swallow a

’ ” - he ? conger eel , wouldn t said the j ockey

contemplatively . The time required for getting a hunter fit to o or g is more less an unknown quantity , f or the very simple reason that one never

wo finds t horses exactly alike in constitution . Some get fit on so much less work than

one others ; usually notices also , that a free sweater will come to hand much more readily — than one with a slow acting skin . But speak “ ” on ing broadly , most horses will gallop

’ a r n fte a couple of mo ths preparation . 2 6 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

Hitherto I have only been dealing with made hunters , those that have already learnt their business , and require no j umping practice . Now let us turn our attention for a few

to or minutes the novice , the horse which , were he a human criminal , would be face

’ tiously described upon the judge s calendar as

Imperfectly educated . Very much the same beginning as that previously recommended in the case Of training horses for hurdle m jumping will be found e ca cious : the low

u pole , bushed p with good , strong prickly stuff gorse is the best —which will make the learner rise well , and not allow him to “ ” slop over his fences : half the battle is in getting a young one to j ump up , and j ump

’

. M t clean uch may , and ough to , be done

’ at a very early stage of the young hunter s — life sa y when he is two and three years Old — by turning him into a field where he has to - jump a fair sized ditch , and if possible a d low he ge or a bank , in order to get to his

- to n water trough , or a certai spot where you

u or may be acc stomed to place a few carrots ,

2 6 2 I n S ca rlet a nd Silk

not . j umping because he wishes it, we If possible , take him over small grips , through l w N o . gaps , and over places in a hedge ever keep on for long at the same Obstacle ; never jump out of a field at the same place where you jumped into it , unless some considerable time has elapsed between the two perform

whic will a nces. Lunging over some low rails h not ive is g also a good plan , but open to the Obj ection that your learner will probably at once suspect you Of giving him a lesson . Many an animal which has developed into

un a magnificent fencer , has made a most promising beginning—included in that cate

a s gory being such celebrities Congress , who had to be dragged over small Obstacles by men t E with car ropes ; mblem and Emblematic , both destined to take the highest honours at

for Liverpool , and who , a long time , refused

d who to j ump even a grip ; and Mi shipmite , came to very frequent grief on the schooling ground before becoming one Of the finest

F r n j umpers of the century . o the begi ner in

- of cross country work , the sight a pack Of On Conditioning H unters 2 6 3 ba rriers in front Of him is the best inducement in theworld to make him take an interest in

see his business . Horses usually love to where — bounds are going ; and to quote Whyte Mel “ - field ville , this is why the hunting is such a good school for leaping . Horses are prompted by some unaccountable impulse to

Of follow a pack hounds , and the beginner finds himself voluntarily performing feats of activity and daring in accordance with the

no will of his rider , which coercion from the latter would induce him to attempt . Flushed with success , and , if fortunate enough to escape a fall , confident in his lately discovered powers , he finds a new pleasure in their exercise , and , most precious Of qualities in a hunter , grows

’ fond Of j umping . A Jumping schools like those Of Mr . rthur

’ Yates , at Bishop s Sutton , and Captain

Ma ch ell f or h , at Kennett , are most useful teac

a of ing a horse to jump ; but such pl ces are ,

not a re h course , attainable , nor t ey , indeed ,

a ll at necessary, to the average man who is schooling a young hunter . Much depends 2 64 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

upon the brain power possessed by the pupil .

I have been on some half- dozen or so young

’ ones , which ten minutes experience convinced me were little better than congenital idiots ; to persevere with such as these is sheer waste

Of of valuable time , for no class horse (not even excepting steeplechasers) require so

TO much natural cleverness as hunters . watch a smart hunter getting out of all sorts of the " unexpected di culties which are pretty sure

his Of is to fall to lot in the course a season , one t of the most interes ing sights I know of. Falls have the most curious and c ontra dic

f on ff tory ef ects di erent horses . We Often see the careless , slovenly j umper vastly improved , and occasionally made into a really smart performer , by getting rapped over the knuckles ” with stiff timber that he has been

n trying to take liberties with . O the other hand , I can call to mind at least a dozen cases where a fall has caused a horse to lose heart

—for —be and courage , and the time at least D come a persistent refuser . ick Christian “ said , If a young horse gets a very bad fall , it

2 66 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

h “ w en the Obstacle rose up and hit him . I think that to the genuine horse - lov er few things in the world (after hunting) can be Of more interest than the conditioning and

r schooling Of ou equine friends .

2 7 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

Of A friend mine , an amateur farmer , always buys from four to six young Irish horses ,

- - mostly four year Olds , each autumn , gets

on them fit to go , and then it depends them selves whether one sees them sailing along

bounds f in the wake Of the , or O ficiating in

’ a plough team . Perhaps , after a summer s

on work the farm , they are given a second trial over a country ; if again unsuccessful , they either go back to the calm and retire

Of or to ment agricultural pursuits , up the hammer . As my friend is never in a hurry to sell , always having work Of some kind or other

do for horses to , he rarely loses much money “ ” over his bad bargains . It is the unfortunate who only has three or four stalls who suffers “ ” most when he has bought a wrong un . He

sa must have , y, three hunters ; he has , there fore , no room for a bad horse , and must sell

- at once , which means , ninety nine times out of a hundred , a material loss ; therefore , it becomes with him a matter Of real importance as to whether he ha s acquired a performer or a fraud . i I n Me Oj Sea son 2 7 1

is The long purse , we know , the key to most Of the good things in this life , and , “ ” a not provided man can stand the racket , much di lenlty need be experienced in getting suitable horses ; well -known performers are

’ f or sent up , various reasons , to Tattersall s

’ d one h and Al ridge s , and can follow t em there ; dealers there are in plenty who will give a fair trial over fences , both in the “ vicinity Of London ( half- a n -hour from the ” Marble Arch , if we are to put implicit faith in the advertisement columns Of the “ dailies ” )

s y and acro s a natural countr , a little further away from the great metropolis . But we must not go there thinking of forty and

ou ! fifty pounders , y know Assuming , how

a in ever , that we have b cked the w ner Of the

or our - Cesarewitch , that great aunt has just

u a or two beq e thed us a hundred , and in leav “ ” ing this vale has thus enabled us to mo unt

s e . r ourselve in another , g. , that Of Aylesbu y , to wit ; well , then , there is no pleasanter

of e way sp nding a crisp , bright October after noon than cha rtering a smart hansom at the 2 7 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk Marble Arch and traversing the Edgware Road

’ i Mr N in the d rection Of . emo s neat little “ establishment , where over thirty horses ” fit always to go may be inspected , ridden , l ” and arked .

of Since the time Soapy Sponge and Mr . Benjamin Buckram these places have under

a m gone vast changes , all , I delighted to say,

. l for the better There is , as a general ru e , no need for a secret code of signals ’ twixt master and man relating to the removal Of “ ” of bandages and swabs , the stirring up

’ wrong uns , and turning round in the stalls of - crib biters , so as to hide their crimes com mi d tte . on the mangers Of course , there are still plenty Of places where these and other little and big deceptions are daily practised ; but for the purposes of this chapter we will treat only Of the fairly “ straight establish ments . We ring the small brass - handled bell at the mi ” O ce , and are at once admitted into a room m about the size Of the interior of a brougha . “ ” The walls record , not in storied urn , but in

2 7 4 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk oh where is the pleasure Of riding one that is not temperate ?

I n th e Of m ut F t e W m t en days y yo h , a h r illia h said,

On u e I t u t a nd I me p ll rs hr s ram d, ’ But now I ve f e uent tc e on m e a so r q ly pi h d y h d, ’ That I ll see th e whole lot of th em

’ sold Off at Tattersall s without reserve rather “ than ride such brutes . The wind bloweth

- where it listeth , and the hard pulling tear

he away goeth where listeth , and the only “ list we get in the matter is probably one ” to starboard a s we vainly try to check his

Of mad career . And then again , think the

will - brute that rear at every hand gate , and also when you have to wait your turn at the only possible place in a fence But I am losing sight of the main Object Of the N ’ visit this afternoon to Mr . emo s excellently conducted stables , and will hark back again . “ Pulling another bell as he leaves the co

— one this time with a long iron handle , and which gives out a somewhat dolorous sound down at the far end Of the building — you walk across the freshly gravelled yard (M em . — I n Me Of S ea son 2 7 5

TO find out where horse - dealers get that

one very bright red gravel that always sees . Wonder if it is specially grown for them ? ) and are met at the nearest stable door by a neatly gaitered groom in a white linen j acket, and duly introduced to a big - boned bay horse standing in the first stall .

’ N ow s ir there , , is a horse that s done a

M em —TOO bit Of work : seasoned hunter ( .

’ many sea son d hunter ; got a tooth about a “ foot long). I could take a little money for

N ou too . him , But Mr emo seeing y

one on shaking your head , whilst eye rests — a peculiarly doubtful looking hock , he passes on ou , with the remark that perhaps y wanted something a bit better class than the bay ?

You sa ou ou y y think y do .

You - pass in turn a weight carrying grey , a weedy chestnut with white heels and an evil eye , a sleepy looking black , which wa s probably only debarred from the second hand funeral trade through lacking the necessary turn Of speed for the business , and a piebald Then the worthy dealer 2 7 6 I n Sca rle t a nd Silk

Of - throws Open the door a loose box , and

his addressing satellite , says

Tom . R , j ust strip this horse ufus , I call

sir him , . By Lord Gough , dam by Victor .

Irish horse , Of course .

“ ” ’ But , you mildly Object , didn t Victor die ever so many years “ tha t Oh , Victor , Oh yes ; this is by the

ou . other Victor, y know

’

You . f didn t know , but let it pass A ter

ou all , y had come to buy a horse , not a pedigree . When divested Of his clothing Rufus was

i a s certainly a tak ng horse , and filled the eye a hunter all over .

’ ’ w Mr N o . that s a horse you d like , says N emo , with j ust the least possible inflection ” in his voice as he pronounces the word you. You take it as an implied compliment to your

ha 0 t t. horsemanship . N man resists I know

u two men who ref sed Peerages , and one who declined the Lord Chancellorship , but I never

’ yet met the human being that wouldn t swa l low a compliment paid to his horsemanship .

2 7 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

Tom is already mounted (somewhat to your d isappointment , you confess , as it postpones your own promised enj oyment for a brief

of a nd n Mr space time), turni g to you , . N emo says “ ’ to how ? You d like see he moves , sir

’ Tom We ll just walk through this gate . , ‘ take him into the lower paddock .

And as the chestnut , who carries a beautiful coat in spite of the time Of year , moves lightly

Off down the yard , you pass through a very

' find white painted gate , and yourself in a smooth - turfed enclosure Of some three or

Of four acres , erected on which are Obstacles almost every description under the sun

orsed u swinging gates , g h rdles , here a bank , there a ditch , and a little further down a somewhat sharply cut , shallow (you know it is shallow because you put your stick into N it whilst Mr . emo was looking the other

! f or way ) brook , the water which was supplied by means Of a big garden hose . In Obedience

’ to a wave Of the dealer s hat Tom now puts i the horse nto a slow canter , and you watch l I n Me Ofi S ea son 2 79

o him as with smooth , powerful acti n , and

hooks with his well under him , he tops the

to hurdles , j ust brushing the gorse at the p

his with hind legs , then j umps the gate with

Of out the semblance hesitancy , and gallops

s - down to the o called brook . As he nears it his ears go a point more forward , and unless your eyes deceive you he hangs fire momen A ’ ta rily. sharp j ob Of Tom s spur converts —if — doubt there was a doubt into resolution , and again the good chestnut acquits himself

. Tom well then pulls up , and , patting the arched neck , brings his gallant steed up to where you await him—not forgetting to stand

out him with his legs well stretched , in what ” the ladies call a becoming attitude . “ ’ ’ N ow sir ra s , , p p you d just like to lay a

’ leg over him yourself. I know you re a gentleman (charming little emphasis on the

” “ ’ you again) that c a n put em over a

so ou country , and that being , why , y natu

’ rally like to se e what they re made of for ” yourself. This man is really charming . l ’ Sees at a g ance , you know , whether a fellow s 2 8 0 I n S ca rlet a nd Silk

’ a horseman or not . Couldn t wrangle with a

or chap like this about a beastly tenner so .

to Of R ou Once on p ufus , any doubt which y might hitherto have felt as to his being a hunter very quickly disappears ; and as he hoists you over the gate you feel the immense hind leverage , and murmur delightedly to “ one yourself, This horse ought to lift smack over a town .

one Just turn over the water , you think ,

set as you him going again , and after that I — ! must really buy here , hi , halloa what the deuce is this ? Rufus has most distinctly ” chucked it the second time Of asking , at

ou the brook , and then y remember the mo mentary hesitation and Tom ’ s spur when he went over before But this won ’ t do at any price . Back you go , give him a fair run ,

to and this time , despite a slight inclination “ ” in go the breeching , and a somewhat

n of awkward throwi g up the head in the air , “ ou on y are over the puddle , and safely the far side . Your keenness for the horse has been a little blunted , and you feel that he

2 8 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk and what are you asking f or when the dealer says “ ’ ’ sir Let s step inside , . There s a fire there , and I ’ m sure you won ’ t be wanting to catch

’ ” cold just as the season s beginning . “ ” You it again step inside , and cannot be denied that the warmth Of the fire well , then , it must only be just half a glass N — M r. more , emo and a fresh cigar , for your last one was j erked out Of your mouth when R ufus declined the water , exercise a certain genial influence over your mind , and causes

ou of y , perhaps , to look upon the depleting your balance at the bank with rather more indifference than would have been the case had you been shivering out in the middle Of

’ the paddock . Besides , there s that legacy , W ’ A you know . ouldn t unt Tabitha turn in her grave if she only knew how you were going to spend it

’ He s worth a hundred and eighty Of any

’ is body s money , sir , that horse . A good

one horse , a sound horse , and that will carry

’ N o a bit Of weight . t that that s of any use l I n Me Oi S ea son 2 8 3

ou sir to y , , I know , he hastens to add , and you feel that you are glad he did say

N ot ou n this . that y are at all tetchy o the

of subj ect your weight ; but still , knowing you have gone up a bit lately (merely tem

’ ora ril p y, you know), you don t want people

’ to imagine you are really getting heavy ; it s oo t ridiculous .

An d ou sir so to y , , I would say one ” n hundred and seventy gui eas , he adds , evidently judging from the expression Of your face that , like the Bard Of Avon (not the

ou second in the Cesarewitch , by the way), y ” might think parting such sweet sorrow . A little further conversation ; another a d

’ ournm ent R ou j to ufus s box , where y find him contentedly munching a look of sweet

’ hay ; Tom s aid requisitioned to remove the blue flannel bandages from his legs , and per mit you to run your hands down them ; a " to O ice return the , and then the deal is

’ Mr N clinched by . emo s remark

h ou I s ould like to see y with that horse ,

’ nd ou sir , I should i eed , and I ll tell y for why . 2 8 4 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

’ but He s a good horse , and a generous horse ,

’ ’ ’ horsema n s ever bod he s a horse , and it ain t y y who could ride that horse as he should be

’ Tha t s ou ridden . why I want y to buy him , N sir . ow, do you see See ! how could any one help seeing ? Ex tra ordina ry thing it is how quick some of

one these people are . This always had a

Of very high order intelligence , I am sure . ’ h As I said before , one can t higgle wit a man

- . out like that You pull your cheque book , “ and after a feeble , Think you ought to ” one say pounds , you know , fill it up for

dire c hundred and seventy guineas , give tions for the transfer to your own stable Of the new purchase , and drive back to town with the comforting reflection that you have “ ” got a hunter . On the following Monday you find yourself

’ at Tatt s in consequence Of an announcement in the Field that the stud Of eight hunters

Mr well known with the Quorn and . ’ — Fernie s belonging to Sir Outrun Constable , will be sold without reserve , the owner having

2 8 6 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

’ W one or ell , there are two in Constable s

’ —a t lot that I shouldn t mind getting a price ,

’ ou f y know . They ve most O them been gal loped almost Off their legs ; especially the

ou . grey , y know

That decides you . This fellow is trying to put you Off buying Shamrock . You v ow within your wicked heart that Shamrock

O on shall be yours . nce board the lugger

or rather , to descend from metaphor , once

’ on the good grey s back , you will show the per

fidious Stubbins the way along , and revenge yourself sweetly on him f or playing you that d — the ou irty trick which , by way , when y

ou m come to think Of it , y were j ust conte plating playing him Two hours later (how slowly they sell the horses preceding the one yo u want to buy) the crowd at the lower end Of the yard parts to admit the passage Of a rare good “ looking , dark grey horse . What a made nu what grand shoulders ; and watch how he picks up his feet and “ goes all ” round as he trots up to the rostrum , fully I n Me Oj iS ea son 2 8 7 conscious of the fact that he is the cynosure

You own —a t of all eyes . feel your sparkle

ou — him least , y think you do as you look over from the tips Of his pricked ears to the one white heel behind . “

Lot . 74 Grey gelding , Shamrock , good hunter and brilliant fencer . What may I sa y f or Shamrock Will any one put him in

’ at a hundred j ust to start with He s worth

or . three four times that money , gentlemen

? ou sir Well then , ninety Thank y , ; ninety u N g ineas is bid . inety ninety guineas

One , two , five , a hundred ; a hundred in two — ou. places and five , thank y One hundred and five guineas is bid for Shamrock . A horse like this must be worth a great deal more than that money ,

N ow ou see , all this time y could that villain Stubbins nodding with an air Of determination which quite shocked you after his unblushing statement before the sale

’ You d anent the horse s legs . get nettle , and seeing all other opposition has about “ died out , you determine to sit upon your 2 8 8 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

so ou friend , trying to appear cool , y say ,

a hundred and twenty .

’ Stubbins e vidently doesn t like being ” raised that way . He casts a glance Of “ envy at the horse , reserving the hatred ” and malice part Of it for you . Then with a defiant gulp he cries out

A hundred and thirty . ” Forty , and you look your enemy coolly in the face as you say it. 3

That settles him . He walks away , evidently i f or . s longing your blood After all , it a cheap

’ horse ; true , you haven t had the Opportunity “ of laying a leg across him , but if you had

ou bought him in any other way , perhaps y would have had to pay an extra fifty for the

ou privilege . Besides which , y have enjoyed “ ” Off b the satisfaction Of scoring Stu bins ,

’ and that s really dirt cheap at a tenner or so Both Of these ways are pleasant ones for ” Of getting hold the materials Of war, and another is to buy well - known performers in the field ; but then , of course , you must be

on to prepared to go , occasions , four or

2 9 0 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk — weight hunter for five years though I own to her having given me fourteen falls the first season ; the best timber-jumper I ever rode I bought f or thirty and I remember Captain

R A. Simpson , . , picking up a mare (as a four

’ - u year Old) at Tattersall s for twenty g ineas , on which I have seen him successful in three or she four Point to Point races , and was also t an extraordinarily good hunter . In his case ,

she however , owed all her education to her

’ buyer s bold and clever handling . One has only to pause and think a bit to be able to give a score or more Of such cases occurring

’ within one s own experience . One I bought out Of a London hansom another that had

’ been running in a bus ; both turned out “ ” good hunters , though the cabman was f aw ully hot with hounds . At a somewhat early period Of my life I was possessed by what I can only now call an unaccountable craze for hunting thoroughbred

a s weeds . In fact , I never felt so happy when I had acquired some shadowy - looking wretch

or a out Of a sellingrace training stable , with l I n Me Of S ea son 2 9 1

pedigree as long as its own tail . It never seemed to dawn upon my benighted under standing that a little elementary jumping p ra c tice might not be entirely thrown away on the

N O on . e brutes , I would buy Of these three Or four -year - Old spectres one day and hunt it the next . The number Of falls they gave me was simply extraordinary ; but then at

one twenty never gets hurt , somehow, and most assuredly I never seemed to learn wisdom from my frequent acquaintance with M other

N O Earth . sooner had one Of the rips got some idea Of j umping a country into its head than it would probably be sold to make room ” for another Of the same , which had caught

- my fancy , perhaps , at some race meeting , and then the tumbling - about process would all

de novo of begin again . Most the brutes whose prices came within my modest means had ewe - necks and no shoulders ; they were

ul almost without exception hard p lers , and

’ - dl All yet wouldn t face a curb bri e . this made the business fairly exciting when galloping bill down , as may well be imagined . 2 9 2 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

TO buy Of the farmer over whose land we hunt is a thing we should all do , where feasible ; but in many countries it is next door to impossible , however much we may w wish it . In such deals I have al ays been lucky enough to get very good value for my money ,

on and notably so one occasion , when a curious

- u looking , wizened p Old fellow , riding a niceish

- young bay , addressed me at covert side thus

sir. Morning , Want to buy a good young hunter , now “ ’ ? Well , I don t know . How Old is he

’ ’

. un Comin four Bred myself. I live

ou over at y farm there , nodding his head in the direction of a small homestead at the end f o the field we were then in . How much do you want ?

’ ’ ’ ’ nu Sha n t say till you ve seen , and got

’ ” wa on un s . , the somewhat unexpected reply

I glanced over the young one , and certainly he looked a hunter in embryo . “ ’ - r I ll come to mor ow at eleven , I said .

The Old chap merely nodded , and then moved Off .

2 94 I n Sca rlet a nd Silk

t d o her , with forefinger upraise , appeared to

“ ’ ’ un menace me ; that s a good , that is , and

’ ’ ’ ou doa n t not bit 0 if y like my price , it s a

’ use for you to try to higgle wi me . I

- fiv e f or wants thirty sovereigns he , and I

’ doa n t not so take a penny less now take it , ” or leave it .

You wha t ? want I gasped , for this was

r an animal well worth seventy o eighty . “ - fiv e Thirty pounds , and not a penny less .

Off I said nothing . All I did was to climb that horse , take the excellent agriculturist by

n the arm and lead him into his ow house . Instinct told me where he kept the pens and

out ink , and I never wrote a cheque in such a

’ hurry in my life ! The young un turned out one of the best hunters kind Fate has ever thrown in my way .

re Only a short time since , a friend was minding me Of my early p encha nt for the

- non . jumping , weedy thoroughbred “ ” “ ’ Ah now , I said , I m a bit Older , and have got over acting like a fool . I n Me Ofi - Sea son 2 9 5

’ Oh se e , I really don t much change in l ou O d . y , fellow , he answered

’ And to this moment I can t quite make out in what light he meant that remark to be taken .

THE EN D