364 THE POST AND THE PADDOCK. 



ride for me no more. Fll send people to keep their 

 eye on you." " Well/' says I, " Sir James, if you're 

 not afraid of your horse, Fin not afraid of my neck." 

 We met at the Punchbowl, and I knew there were 

 two or three to look out ; and, blame me, I did ride 

 just ! One field from Dalby, my word ! I did send 

 him with some powder at a bullfinch. I thought the 

 horse was a long time in the air. They measured 

 the jump, nearest foot from taking off to nearest on 

 landing, right through the hedge; and what d'ye 

 think it was ? 35 J feet ! It's truth, I'll warrant it : 

 there are gentlemen living who know it. Fin not 

 given to bragging there's a deal too much of that 

 now-a-days. There were lots of wagers laid about it, 

 and the men who measured it brought the string to 

 Melton : it just went from the Half Moon to the 

 opposite door. They told Sir James about it, and he 

 sent for each of the men and gave them half-a-sove- 

 reign. It was on level ground the very field as 

 comes to the road that leads to Great and Little 

 Dalby. Two farmers saw it : I forget ^their names : 

 one was a little fattish man. It's the real truth, and 

 nothing but the truth. I've jumped ten yards fre- 

 quent ; and that pond near Billesdon Coplow would 

 be good eleven. I had another great jump on that 

 identical same horse, near Burrow Hills; it was 

 down a hill, and he scarcely was on his fore-legs for 

 two hundred yards. 



A quick and safe jumper always goes from hind- 

 legs to hind-legs. I never rode a steeple- chase yet 

 but I steadied my horse on to his hind-legs twenty 

 yards from his fence, and I was always over and away 

 again before the rushers. If a horse can't light on 

 his hind-legs, he soon beats himself: good rumps 

 and good hind-legs, them's the sort ! A man should 

 get his horse collected. Modern gentlemen are so 

 quick at their fences, their horses don't get up, and 

 don't spread themselves. Their front legs should be 



