*oo Reminiscences of a 



turned to the right underneath old Trimdon, through 

 Humbleknowle, Galley Law plantations, and killed him near 

 Bridge House Farm at Fishburn. As we were coming 

 from Humbleknowle there was an obstacle in the way of a 

 laid fence and small brook, which Mr. Forster was not 

 thoroughly acquainted with, and forgot to put the extra 

 steam on, which caused his horse to land in the brook, 

 and him on his back on the further bank. He was following 

 me, and might not have seen what I was doing, but I think 

 his eye was on Dowdeswell, who knew the place and pulled 

 up. After an hour and thirty minutes, it seemed to be a 

 good trial and performance; at any rate Mr. Forster thought 

 so, and when he caught me up gave me a rare " dressing 

 down " for not telling him about the place, for which I 

 humbly apologised. Although he was in a rare splutter he 

 seemed delighted, and soon began to talk about the mare that 

 I was trying, but I told him straight out that she wasn't 

 any longer for sale, and I need only say that she went 

 right off to Mr. Harvey's stable. Mr. Hart asked me if I'd 

 had a fair trial, and I said that I was very well satisfied 

 with her, and when he began to talk about changing horses 

 and saddles again I said I 'd rather ride her back to 

 Hardwick, thinking that he might change and make some 

 alterations in the price. When I acquainted Mr. Harvey 

 with the result of the trial, he told me to stick to the 

 mare, and not get off her back, saying also " Well, now you 

 know, John, I believe you 've had a fair good trial," and I 

 said, " By jove, I have ! " 



Tommy Dowdeswell was on a well-bred, good old horse 

 that had seen better days, but he was a really wonderful 

 horseman for a big man even then, for he would be bordering 

 on to sixty then. He had a good pair of hands on a horse, 



