186 THE HOESE AND HIS EIDER. 



country,' replied the other, ' the fences are so large.' ' Oh ! ' ob- 

 served Mr. Smith, ' there is no place you cannot get over vt^ith a 

 fall.' To a young supporter of his pack, who was constantly falling 

 and hurting himself, he said, ' All who profess to ride should know 

 how to fall.^ " 



The author of ' Silk and Scarlet ' says : — 



" It was a great speech of Mr. Smith's, if ever he saw a horse 

 refuse with his Whips, * Throw your heart over^ and your horse 

 will follow^ He never rode fast at his fences. I have heard him 

 say scores of times, 'When a man rides at fences a hundred miles 

 an hour, depend upon it he funks. ^ " 



Sir William Miles confirms this statement : — 



" Mr. Smith," he remarks, " always said, ' Go slow at all fences^ 

 except water. It makes a horse know the use of his legs, and by so 

 riding he can put down a leg wherever it is wanted.' " 



Long Wellesley had a horse which he declared no man 

 could see a run on. " He only requires a rider, ^^ said 

 the sqttire. " Will you ride him, then, at Glen Gorse ? " 

 " Willingly !" replied Smith, who, after several falls, 

 killing his fox, was presented with the animal, whicli 

 he accordingly named " Gift." 



The history of the education of Smith's favourite horse, 

 Jack-o'-Lantern, is described as follows : — 



" We were riding," said Tom Edge, " to covert through a line 

 of bridle-gates, when we came to a new double oaken post and rail 

 fence. ' This is just the place to make my colt a good timber 

 jumper,' said the squire ; ' so you shut the gate, and ride away 

 fast.' This was no sooner done than the squire rode at the rails, 

 which Jack taking with his breast, gave both himself and his rider 



