INTRODUCTION. Xlll 



left the stables, 1 was asked questions, some of which 

 I was at the moment at a loss to answer. Observing 

 this to be the case, I was immediately led to think, 

 that the training of horses properly was a much more 

 important art than I had at first imagined ; and al- 

 though I had been so perfectly well acquainted with 

 the entire management of feeding and working horses, I 

 was surprised to find, (what I thought was impossible,) 

 that the practical part of the subject appeared to be 

 almost obliterated from my memory; but a circum- 

 stance, which I shall hei'e relate, put me in a train of 

 soon bringing the matter to my recollection. 



One day, as I was riding from the race-course to St. 

 Omer, I was met by General Vivian, who spoke to 

 me on the subject of getting out a horse from Eng- 

 land to run at St. Omer races, observing, at the same 

 time, that he was unacquainted with the business of 

 training, nor did he think his groom competent to un- 

 dertake the management of a horse intended for this 

 purpose ; adding, that if he got a horse out, he might 

 be beat for want of being properly prepared. As I 

 had some years previous to this time trained a horse 

 for the General, he asked me, in case he should suc- 

 ceed in getting one out to run, whether, as I was 

 quartered so near the course, I would superintend his 

 training ? Aware that the hours of attending to a 

 horse in training would not interfere with my regi- 

 mental duties, and that there were several other officers 

 doing pretty much the same thing, I told the General, 

 that if my commanding officer had no objection, I 



