OLD FRIENDS— MEN AND HORSES 215 



I think Major Candy has already been men- 

 tioned as a very good rider, with excellent hands ; 

 but in his younger days I believe he was very 

 successful " between the flags," and have heard 

 on one occasion in Ireland he won five races out 

 of six. 



Captain " Doggie " Smith was probably in his 

 prime before my riding days started; but I never 

 remember to have seen him anywhere, except 

 in the front rank with hounds. When he left 

 Leicestershire he retired to Sussex, and is still 

 hunting there; but, as lately as Capt. Forester's 

 mastership, he paid his old haunts a visit, and 

 was jumping everything, though well over seventy. 



With beautiful hands, good judgment and 

 splendid nerve, he always got the best out of his 

 horses without overtaxing their powers. 



I cannot recall anyone with whom it was such 

 a pleasure to ride a run as Captain Smith, for he 

 had not a spark of jealousy, and was invariably 

 in a good temper, or if not, had the tact to hide it. 

 He is one of the few men of whom I have never 

 heard anyone say an unkind word. 



Mr. Arthur Coventry it was always a pleasure 

 to see on a horse, and his abilities in race 

 riding are well known. Mr. George Lambton's 

 was a familiar figure in Leicestershire at one time ; 

 but he forsook Melton for Newmarket, and we 

 seldom see him now. 



There have been many changes in the hunting 

 visitors to Melton since I first started hunting 

 regularly in 1879, ^^^ there are few of the old lot 

 left. 



Mr. Arthur Pryor is still at Egerton Lodge, 



