Mr John Hubert Moore. 8 1 



system ; but acquaintance with it gave me no hint to cure 

 any vice, except that of kicking, biting, or other outrageous 

 conduct. The gospel of the long reins and standing martin- 

 gale (I rejected that of the bearing-rein) was a revelation to 

 me, in that it gave me some exact ideas on the proper way 

 to give a horse a good mouth, and to make him jump. 

 Though a ' tyrant ' when thwarted, Mr Moore is a grand 

 specimen of that almost extinct class, an Irish gentleman of 

 the old school : hospitable, kind-hearted, generous, and fear- 

 less ; but if you have the good fortune to meet him, take my 

 advice, don't argue with him, and don't, in his hearing, air 

 your sympathy with the Home Rulers, or there will be 

 ' ructions ' in which I would be very sorry to join. Mr Moore, 

 I am glad to hear from his son Willie, still retains much of 

 his old fire. Two years ago he claimed Viscount out of a sell- 

 ing steeplechase, which thoroughly legitimate proceeding so 

 incensed the owner, who was accustomed to the usual family 

 party arrangement, that he refused to lend Mr Moore a 

 bridle or halter with which to take the horse to his stable. 

 Ever ready for an emergency, Mr Moore put his brawny 

 right arm round the animal's neck and thus led him away 

 without anything on his head, amid the cheers of the by- 

 standers. Garratt happened to tell this story to an English 

 friend, who, not knowing the strength of the old man, pro- 

 tested that it would be impossible to thus master an impetuous 

 thoroughbred. ' You'd think differently,' replied the famous 

 horseman, who had not forgotten the discipline through 

 which he had gone at the hands of his father in his young 

 days, ' if he had his arm round your neck.' 



As the first edition of Riding on the Flat and Across 

 Country went off quickly, I carefully revised it and got 

 Mr John Sturgess to illustrate it. I may explain that if 

 I happen to read a book which I have had published for 

 a few months, and have thus banished it from my mind for 

 the time being ; I find that I have left out much which I 

 ought to have said, and said much which I ought to have 



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