124 HOBSE, MANAGEMENT IN INDIA. 



chaser, the Lamb, was a case in point ; for, in the 

 Grand National, he easily defeated Pearl Diver, who 

 was, at least, two stone better than him on an ordinary 

 race-course. By learning young, the jumping muscles 

 are stimulated during the special period of develop- 

 ment ; and the action itself becomes almost automatic, 

 and, consequently, as nearly perfect as possible. When 

 the art is acquired later on, the effort will be more or 

 less laboured, and the muscles may be inadequate in 

 strength for this new kind of labour. Of course, there 

 are exceptions to this rule, one of the most notable 

 being Voluptuary, who, as a six-year old, won the 

 Grand Natiooal of 1884. This son of Cremorne and 

 Miss Evelyn was kept, till he was five years old, on the 

 flat, where he performed very indifferently. He was, 

 then, taken in hand by that accomplished horseman, 

 Mr. E. P. Wilson, who soon taught him to negotiate 

 the Aintree style of country, and won on his pupil with 

 great ease. I may remark that the Liverpool fences 

 are all of the " flying " sort, and consist chiefly of 

 hedges with a ditch on the taking off or landing side. 

 Being of a uniform character, they do not demand the 

 same amount of cleverness that is required in a more 

 cramped country. Besides this, almost all the Cre- 

 morne s are natural jumpers. I am aware that it is a 

 very common idea among racing men both in England 

 and in India, that the way to obtain a good maiden 

 chaser is to pick up a horse that has shown his ability 

 to gallop, stay, and carry weight on the flat ; and to 

 teach him to jump. Following the opinion of the best 

 judges on the subject, in Ireland, I maintain that, as a 

 rule, such animals will turn out failures ; and that far 



