Introduction 



breeders, especially among the smaller class, than he is 

 now doing, and so make it worth their while to replenish 

 his empty cavalry stables with better — and probably cheaper — 

 material than is the case at the present time ? 



It is hardly necessary to point out that to attain to any 

 success in race riding it is absolutely necessary to keep fit. 

 and here, perhaps, I may be able to give some advice which 

 will be useful to the novice. 



Many young men labour under the impression that by 

 hunting regularly three or four times a week they are therefore 

 perfectly trained for riding a race. 



In addition, they will probably take no end of trouble in 

 going for long walks, indulging in Turkish baths, and so on. 

 All this is of very little use as compared with riding gallops, 

 both on the flat and over a country, several days in the 

 week. 



Going fast through the air on a pulling horse tries the wind 

 of the rider, as well as the muscles of his arms and legs, far 

 more than any hunting run, no matter how fast or long it may 

 be. There is no necessity for any great training of the body. 

 Only ride gallops steadily every morning, and you will find 

 yourself in perfect wind and not tire after the severest race. 



The usual day's work, when I had steeplechase horses at 

 Limber, was to go out every morning before breakfast and ride 

 two or three different horses in three-mile gallops over fences, 

 and after the matutinal meal go out for a day's hunting. Of 

 course you want to be young and full of energy for this kind 

 of work, as one often jumped more fences during the morning 

 than in the day's hunting, especially if it were a moderate 

 scenting day. 



Nothing did one more good than to repair to Newmarket 

 after the steeplechasing was over, and ride gallops on the flat 



xviii 



