BREEDING OF HUNTERS. 255 



man never rode at a fence. Originally he was articled 

 to Page the trainer of Epsom, and had such a 

 little notion of his business when he began, that he 

 acceded to the other lads' proposition to wax him 

 on to his saddle. When Tom's after feats reached 

 him, Page used often to tell the story, how he stuck 

 so tight that he was obliged to lift him and the saddle 

 off the colt together, and then cut him clean out 

 of his corduroys and his difficulties. Among more 

 modern Shropshire horses, we may note The Steamer, 

 by Emilius, out of Valve (the dam of Pussy), who 

 was bred and sold by Mr. Price, of Bryn-Pys, for 

 50. His racing career was foiled by his bad legs, 

 which gave way to such an extent that he could 

 hardly bear walking exercise, and he was too strong 

 a puller to let a light boy ride him. There are an 

 immense quantity of good hunters out by him, 

 though they are generally a little in at the elbows ; 

 and Hyllus, a hack of his get, was snapped up at a 

 high price for the Royal stables. All of them are 

 jumpers, but they are not exactly what are styled 

 " dealers' horses." Necromancer has done some- 

 thing for the present and old owner's name; and 

 breeders tell you that the thorough-bred Melibceus 

 never failed to get a hunter, and are all on the alert 

 when they hear of a Melibceus mare. The Great- 

 hearts are also especially fine goers, and very fair 

 jumpers, neat, fifteen-three, and in fact quite ' ' the 

 good old style back again ;" but their sire has de- 

 parted for Ireland. Ion, who is now a very popular 

 blood sire in France, stood one season at Shrews- 

 bury ; but he is rather a light-girthed unattractive 

 style of horse, and had very few mares. 



Will Staples, of whom it used to be said, and with 

 little exaggeration, that he could hunt a Shropshire 

 fox without hounds, looks back to the grey Moses as 

 the best Strephon he ever rode, while Ludlow among 

 the Brigliadoroes, Longwaist and Gazelle among the 



