H Ibuntcr's Ccititiicate 255 



when hunters required certificates from a Master 

 of Hounds before they could run for hunters' flat 

 races. One day a man named Batten, who Hved 

 at Oadby, had an animal he wished to start in the 

 Belvoir Castle Stakes at Leicester. He went to the 

 meet at Glenn Station, and on seeing Mr. Tailby, 

 the Master, he asked him to give him a certificate 

 for his mare. Mr. Tailby, who knows little about 

 racing, said : 



" What the deuce do you mean ? I am not a 

 veterinary surgeon." 



But the man explained that he only wanted a 

 hunter's certificate to run his animal the next week, 

 when the Master turned round and said : 



" You bring your mare to me at four o'clock this 

 afternoon. I will then tell you whether I think she 

 is a hunter or not." 



Batten had to keep his poor wretched little four- 

 year-old out all day before he could get his certifi- 

 cate. About a month after this happened, I was 

 out with the Cottesmore, and Mr. Lloyd Evans had 

 six or seven horses in training at Luffenham at the 

 time. One day the hounds met at Luffenham 

 Station. Lord Lonsdale, father of the present Earl, 

 was the Master, and Mr. Evans, liking his racehorses 

 to see the hounds, sent four of them out with rather 



