AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 323 



and then I was not called upon to do so much 

 again, except on special occasions when I wanted 

 to get a bit extra weight off. No doubt ' forced * 

 sweating is a great trial to the constitution of a 

 man, although at the same time it is good if you 

 don't beat yourself by it. If you are careful and 

 don't overdo yourself you don't feel it, because 

 when you get a rub down and a sponge, you soon 

 feel very fit." 

 " Old Forth " gained his early experience in York- 

 shire, but towards the latter end of his time became so 

 naturahsed at Michel Grove that he almost became 

 indigenous amongst the Southrons. Like John Osborne 

 he kept his weight down to the last by riding in trials 

 with the same finesse, patience, and tact. His idea of 

 a two-year-old trial was expressed as follows : — 



" If you try a two-year-old at even weights 

 with a Derby winner, and the young 'un cannot 

 win, depend upon it he is not worth backing for 

 Epsom. 



" Do you think," we asked, " the speed of 

 horses has improved of late years as compared 

 with your early days? 



" Well, I really can't tell. I don't think horses 

 are so hard as they were forty years ago or more. 

 If a horse runs twice or thrice a week, they think 

 he is run to death in the present day; whereas 

 in the olden time, trainers thought nothing of 

 running their horses three or four times a week, 

 nay, even as often as three or four times a day in 

 heats. I have ridden, let me see — I think it 

 would be about '51 — a mare that won two races 

 at Radcliffe Bridge. She won a Maiden Plate, 

 four heats, one mile and a half each heat, the 



