Mr. Digby Collins 



" farmers " — a term somewhat loosely defined, in consequence 

 of the prefix " tenant " being omitted. 



These tempted me to try my fortune with two young horses 

 which I bought out of an Irish drove and grazed for twelve 

 months. 



They were both of them described as thoroughbred ; but 

 I do not believe that either of them had a right to the title. 



Being equipped with some knowledge of the art of training, 

 I was well aware that it would be useless to devote the 

 little spare time that I had at my disposal to training these 

 horses until they gave proof of being fast enough to win 

 races. 



In order to make this discovery, I ran them for one or two 

 flat and hurdle races, when not fit to go more than half the 

 distance over which the races were to be run. 



I let them keep with the horses as long as they could, 

 without pressure, and then pulled them up. But these trials 

 proved that one had sufficient speed, but could only stay a 

 mile ; and that the other was deficient in speed, but ran like a 

 stayer. 



The former I disposed of, at once, at a fair price ; but the 

 other I put into fast work over fences, and ran him for the 

 open farmers' plate at Bangor. This race he could have won 

 easily enough — if he had been disposed to try. He was going 

 as well as anything in the race, and showed no symptoms of 

 being beaten; but the moment the "run home" began, he 

 threw his head up, tried to bolt — first on one side and then on 

 another — and finished ignominiously "down the course," like a 

 veritable cur. 



This experience was enough for me, and as soon as I 

 could get a stall at Hyde Park Corner, I sent him to the 

 hammer, under which he made lOO guineas; and though, as 



145 L 



