assbeton Smitb 99 



they had rather a wear)' time with him at Tedworth. 

 Mr Smith sent him home on hunting days seven or 

 eight times before he could ride him with confidence ; 

 and there is a legend that he not only ran clean away 

 four miles with George Carter, but that the latter 

 assured his master, when he proposed another mount, that 

 he would rather run on foot than get on Fire-King. His 

 master, however, charmed the chestnut into a softer 

 mood at last. On 15th December in the following year 

 (1841) he wrote to Mr Denham, to say that he had got 

 him to go ' as quiet as any horse in his stable ! ' adding, 

 ' I have hunted a great number of years, I have kept 

 hounds and hunted them for thirty-eight years, and I 

 am quite sure I never had such a horse as he is before, 

 and fully believe I never saw such an one.' 



In the year 1840 Assheton Smith paid his memorable 

 visit to Sir Richard Sutton in Lincolnshire, taking eighteen 

 couple of his own hounds with him. En route he received 

 an urgent request to give his old country, the Quorn, a 

 day, and he accepted the invitation. The meet was at 

 Rolleston on the 20th of March, and I suppose nothing 

 like it has ever been seen in Leicestershire. Upwards of 

 2000 superbly-mounted horsemen were present — among 

 them men of the highest rank and station — soldiers, 

 sailors, politicians — for the cream of the sportsmen 

 of the shires flocked from far and near to do honour to 

 their old master, who received such a welcome as well- 

 nigh shook even his iron nerve. It was a splendid 

 tribute of respect and admiration to the greatest sports- 

 man in England, and it was the more remarkable 

 because Assheton Smith was not by any means a 

 popular' master. His manner was brusque, and he was 

 at no pains, either in or out of the hunting field to 



