THE LIFE OF A HUNTER 49 



am always described as "pedigree un- 

 known." Anyhow, I know that my sire, 

 like my dam, had been a slave, and been 

 run in almost a hundred races and steeple- 

 chases. I have always felt that I owed 

 most of my own qualities of endurance and 

 sound constitution to being the offspring of 

 parents whose soundness was due to their 

 hard life, as well as to their freedom from 

 hereditary complaints. 



In colour, I was a full, rich chestnut, with 

 a white blaze, and was certainly pretty when 

 young. I was not an ideal hunter-made 

 mare, for when I was foaled I stood over 

 at the knees, and always had a tendency 

 to do this : I have heard connoisseurs say 

 that this is a fault on the right side, and 



certainly I had it in common with many 

 4 



