BREEDING OF HUNTERS. 261 



Mr. Denham declined unless he would make it 

 guineas. On this Mr. Smith jocularly remarked that 

 he was " the most independent horsedealer he had 

 ever met with ;" and was told that if he had been 

 independent he would not have taken 2,000 guineas 

 for the horse, as he was sure that no man could ex- 

 pect to have more than one such in his life. He was 

 very much blemished at the time by curbs; so much so, 

 in fact, that Mr. Smith could hardly credit the assu- 

 rance that he was sound after having " been repaired 

 so often ." At this juncture Lord Chesterfield rode up, 

 and on hearing his lordship indorse Mr. Denham's 

 statement that he had never in his life seen a horse 

 that could go better, if so well, to hounds, the bar- 

 gain was then and there closed for guineas. At first 

 they had rather a weary time with him at Tidworth. 

 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 

 for miles with George Carter, bat the latter assured 

 his master, when he proposed another mount, that 

 he would rather run on foot than get on him. His 

 master, however, charmed the chesnut into a softer 

 mood at last, and on December 15th of the following 

 year, he wrote Mr. Denham to say that he had " got 

 him to go as quiet as any horse in my stable " adding 

 1 ' 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 be- 

 fore, and fully believe I never saw such a one." In 

 reply to his further request, that Mr. Denham would 

 trace his pedigree, the latter could only reply, " All 

 that I know is that he came from Ireland, rejoicing 

 in the name of The Devil, having run away with 

 nearly all the people that had ridden him, and he 

 gave me several wet jackets before I could manage 

 him." The Widow, a fine sixteen-hand brown mare, 

 was also a great wonder among Irish mares; and it 



