362 THE POST AND THE PADDOCK. 



Lord Scarboro' often lent me to Mr. Foljambe 

 when I was at Rufford. What a fine horseman he 

 was! and there's no better judge of a horse now. 

 It 'ull be three years since, we were out with The 

 Rufford ; he says to me, " What are you mounted on 

 to-day, Christian ?" I said, " She's thorough-bred, 

 sir, and she's by Ithuriel out of a Langar mare, 

 and that's all Pve heard of her." So he says, " Come 

 here, and I'll handle her." When he came to her 

 legs, he says, "Why, Christian, she's wonderful 

 here ; at least eight inches below the knee." That 

 was the fact ; I had measured her that very morn- 

 ing, and she was just 8J inches there. When he's 

 about to purchase a horse, he'll have him trotted up 

 and down a road, and the least inequality of action 

 he can detect quicker than those who see them. He 

 went purposely to Tattersall's to handle and buy that 

 horse Rataplan. 



You jumped on me quite sudden last night ; I 

 didn't see just what you were driving at ; but, my 

 word, I'm ready for you now. I laid awake, study- 

 ing, a good bit of the night. That 'ere bull I told 

 you about ; I remember another break I had when 

 I was with Sir Gilbert. It was near Glaston, and 

 Mr. Pochin, the parson, fell just before me, and I 

 jumped clean over him. He laid as close as a hare, 

 and Abbey, the huntsman, shouted, ' ' You can lie 

 where you are, Mr. Pochin ; you'll not be wanted 

 till Sunday." How Sir Gilbert did laugh, to be sure ! 



What a fine rider Sir David Baird was ! When 

 he first comes to Melton we found at Ranksboro' 

 Gorse, and crossed over between Rocart and Whis- 

 sendine. Only four of us got over the brook that 

 day ; I was first, and I just looks back and I says, 

 tc Now, gentlemen, take up your heel taps ; here's a 

 bumper." That pleased them uncommon : they all 

 got over. It was full of water, and that seemed to 



