1866: TAGLIONI. 291 



I determined to leave, I was to write to Captain Wilson, of 

 tlie V.W.H. I did so, and Sir William Throckmorton 

 offered me the place. 



"From 1868 I was with Sir William six seasons. They 

 sav ' you can't love a man,' I loved Sir William. I hope 

 he will find an Isinglass or two, that's what a gentleman 

 wants if he goes racing. About the country ? Lord 

 Henry Bentinck said it was the best three days a week 

 country in England. There were three sides to it — the 

 stone walls ; the Vale, more like Shuckburgh ; and the 

 Brander side, rough fences and widish brooks. I never 

 had a bad fall, though, in it. I hurt. my knee once ; it was 

 not the horse's fault ; he was tired, and fell. Your brother, 

 Lord Willoughby, was talking to me about it one day. 

 AVhen I told him I had not had a fall all the season, he 

 said, ' You didn't half go. Bob.' I said, ' I know I did, my 

 lord, but I rode such horses.' There were two horses 

 Avhicli came from Newcome Mason, the very best I ever 

 rode but one, and that was Taglioni. You remember her, 

 sir, don't you ? Mr. Lucy bought her at Mr. Drake's sale. 

 Mr. Drake marked six on the catalogue for Mr. Lucy to 

 buy. The mare had slipped up once, and got a blow. 

 She was knocked down to Mr. Lucy for forty guineas. I 

 rode her three seasons with the Warwickshii-e, and she put 

 her foot once in a post hole, the only time she ever fell with 

 me. At Mr. Lucy's sale, at Tattersall's, she made over 

 300 guineas. (' Yes, I remember it well. Bob. I was 

 there ; and you said to me that you thought you had not 

 been trotting her about Warwickshu-e for nothing.') 

 Well, Mr. Burton, who bought her, asked me what 

 bridle I rode her in. ' She does not want any bridle 

 at all,' I said. Mr. Burton told me afterwards that 

 he would not take a thousand guineas for her. He 

 offered me a ride on her in the park. I thanked him, 

 but said I should be out of place there — that my place was 

 in the field, and not in the park. Mr. Lucy always helped 

 his huntsman. I remember one day at Shuckburgh the 

 gentlemen rode the hounds clean off the line. Mr. Lucy 



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