AND TIMES OF JOHN OSBORNE 455 



occasions, especially when horses are running a bit 

 wide. I think this version quite sufficient to prove my 

 argument that my old friend John was anything but 

 worn out, and he proved it afterwards by riding 

 Watercress in the St. Leger, and by getting a place, 

 showing there was life in the old man yet. With all 

 due respect to the gentlemen who got up his testimonial 

 and asked him to retire, I think he w^ould still be a good 

 pattern to his profession (not from his perfect seat), if 

 only for his great knowledge and judgment of pace. I 

 can certainly speak of his ability with the greatest 

 confidence, as I have known him the last thirty years. 

 The only thing one can complain of in Johnnie Osborne 

 is his extravagance in the direction of high collars and 

 diamond rings." 



At the time of our visit, in the early days of 

 December, '96, there w^ere seventy horses in training at 

 Middleham. For a long time previous a shadow of ill- 

 fortune had been cast over Ashgill. Indeed, in many 

 quarters it was said that John Osborne had lost the 

 secret of the occult science of training a thoroughbred. 

 Yet with his stables at Brecongill fuller than they had 

 been for several seasons, Hope sustained the veteran 

 for the season of '97. 



" Oh, we shall be getting a good 'un soon," 

 he hopefully rejoined. " True, I never remem- 

 ber seeing so many bad horses at Middleham as 

 we have had this season. Indeed, no good 

 horse has been on the Moor that I can call to 

 mind for the last four or five seasons. The 

 reason is not far to seek. In the old days many 

 North-country noblemen had their horses trained 

 on the Moor, we had good young stock to train 

 — the pick of the sales, and the best of big 



