356 The Post and the Paddock. 



two feet ; if it's higher, they often go right back'ards, 

 such a crack ; they should go close up to it. They 

 talk about a horse wanting some falls : if a young 

 horse gets a very bad fall, it frightens him ; a couple 

 of falls with low fences are well enough, but not if 

 you hurt him ; let him scramble in a ditch a bit, but 

 not get cast. I like the Empingham country best for 

 young horses ; fences not too high, and they wont 

 break. When I begin a young horse with water, I 

 walk him to it, and let him look at it ; I don't let him 

 go away : never lick him, and, bless you, he soon takes 

 a delight in it. 



Grimaldi, he was a charming horse ; he never would 

 look at water at first. Mr. Osbaldeston, he comes to 

 me in Day's shop here, and he says, " I want you, 

 Dick, to go to Brixworth directly : I've made a match 

 with Colonel Charritie's Napoleon for 500 guineas, 

 over the Dunchurch country : there's a brook, and 

 Grimaldi's lost me two races already that way." So 

 I said I'd like to go to Croxton races, and I'd be at 

 Brixworth by two in the morning; and so I was there, 

 sure enough, and I got him over some water the first 

 time, after he had smelt at it a bit, and made him 

 quite handy. The Squire and me we went over the 

 ground ; and the Squire, he says, " Grimaldi will never 

 jump this water, Dick." I says, " I'll bet you a 

 guinea he will, Squire." I went and fathomed it, and 

 found a place ; so I told him " when you're running 

 I'll stand there, and put my hat on the top of my 

 whip ; come right to me, and keep him going." Bless 

 you ! he jumped it like nothing at all, and won. 

 Becher was on Napoleon ; he was stronger, I think, 

 than Oliver; Jem Mason's not so hard as them 

 two. 



The Clown, that won here the other day, reminded 

 me for all the world of Vyvian when he was coming to 

 the brook. Vyvian was quite as big, a great slamming 

 horse ; no trouble to ride ; he went sailing along in a 



