Charlie Ward. 321 



the reins, to try this feat. I need hardly point out the great 

 advantage of teaching a horse to jump in cold blood any- 

 thing within his compass, to which he may be put by his 

 rider. Hunters, for instance, that will leap kindly only in 

 company or when hounds are running, are not more than 

 half-trained ; for in the event of their rider being thrown out 

 of a run, or wishing to join the pack by taking a straight 

 line across country, the reluctant one, when left to himself, 

 might get ' pounded ' at any moment. Firm retention of 

 seat by a lady, without holding on by the reins when going 

 over a big fence, is easy, provided she has knowledge and 

 a sufficiency of practice, which, in ordinary cases, need not 

 be more than that which could be obtained in eight or nine 

 lessons given, according to our methods, by a competent 

 teacher. A man's seat, in the usual form of hunting-saddle, 

 is so much weaker than that of a lady in a side-saddle that 

 it would take him as many months, if not years, to attain 

 a like proficiency. 



With a book full of flattering press cuttings about her 

 book and her riding, my wife felt quite happy, for the time 

 being. 



I think I am right in saying that the Wards are the most 

 accomplished driving family in England. The father, old 

 ' Charlie ' Ward, the famous ' Whip of the West/ and his 

 brother Harry are probably the last two representatives of 

 the old ' Mail ' coachmen. His first engagement was with the 

 Norwich and Ipswich Mail between London and Colchester, 

 when he was only seventeen years old. For seven years he 

 drove the ' Quicksilver/ the Devonport Mail, which was the 

 fastest one of its time, sixty miles a night without an accident 

 After that he drove the Brighton Day Mail, the ' Telegraph ' 

 between Exeter and Ilminster ; another ' Telegraph ' between 

 Devonport and London ; the * Tally- Ho ! ' between London 

 and Truro; and others. Though over eighty years of age, 

 he is as capable a whip as ever. Frank, the eldest son, is 

 a thorough workman, and is unrivalled in showing a four-in- 



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