Colonel R. F. Meysey-Thompson 



an interesting little episode, and may be worth relating : 

 A jockey of some renown had been engaged to ride the 

 horse, and had been on him in some schools, but gradually 

 Leading Suit got master of his rider, latterly refusing to jump 

 for him at all. The little clique connected with the horse were 

 at their wits' end what to do when a suggestion was made to 

 give Mr. Meysey-Thompson a chance of seeing what he could 

 do with the headstrong brute. It had been noticed he owned, 

 and rode with hounds, a queer-tempered five-year-old horse, 

 Kettle-holder, by Kettledrum out of the flying EUermire ; 

 though the horse might rear or kick or buck as it pleased, 

 the rider ever remained the master, and in the end Kettle- 

 holder had to do his bidding. What could be done with one 

 animal should also be possible with another, was the decision 

 of the stable ; and when Mr. Meysey-Thompson gladly 

 accepted the offer of the mount, and at the same time stipu- 

 lated he should be allowed to ride the horse in his work, 

 hope once more began to rise in its owner's breast. The 

 first school was earnestly watched by the triumvirate Avhose 

 fortunes were bound up in the success of the horse. It was 

 a moment of feverish anxiety when Leading Suit whipped 

 round at the first fence, after his wont, and after rearing 

 straight up commenced a series of fly-jumps in the wrong 

 direction ; but a sense of relief followed when the rider rode 

 up to the group, after steadying his mount, and having asked 

 permission to administer punishment to the offender, proceeded 

 to use his whip in vigorous fashion. In vain Leading Suit 

 reared and kicked, for stroke succeeded stroke in rapid suc- 

 cession till the horse, completely cowed, tried at last to make 

 a bolt of it. " I knew he was conquered then," said Mr. 

 Meysey-Thompson afterwards, "and, letting him stride on, I 

 gradually brought him round towards the fence he had been 



271 



