Gentlemen Riders 



Day family — was then installed at Northleach, one mile distant 

 from the farmhouse in which I was domiciled. 



He was training horses for Lord Clifden, and he had at 

 that time under his charge some very useful horses, the 

 majority of them winners ; and a few of them had placed some 

 valuable stakes to their owner's credit. 



One of the latter, Melissa (before she turned a jade from 

 being over sweated), was, undoubtedly, the best mare of 

 her day. 



As these horses were trained in the park, whose wall 

 bounded the west side of the farm, I frequently had them 

 under my observation at work : and I need hardly say that 

 training in those days was far more severe than it is now. 



Nevertheless, severe as it was, the horses throve on the 

 work that Isaac set them ; and it was only in a fit of temper — 

 induced by some disparaging remarks as to the horses being 

 too big, when he paid a visit, accompanied by Lord Clifden, 

 to the stables at Northleach — that he was guilty of over- 

 sweating Melissa, Loyola, Homily, and some others. 



The lesson was not lost upon me ; and though I, then 

 (as now), was convinced of the efficacy of reasonable sweating, 

 I was, afterwards, very careful that when the object of the 

 practice had been attained it was immediately discontinued. 



I was, also, indebted to this capable trainer for letting me 

 into the secret of the benefit of all fast work being *' done 

 light," as he termed it : that is to say, without clothing ; which, 

 he held, makes horses faint and takes all the steel out of 

 them. 



At the end of this period of restless activity that participa- 

 tion in the work and business of a large mixed farm entails, I 

 rented a farm in Shropshire; where, at that time (1858), there 

 were some races on the flat and across country confined to 



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