GRAND PARADE 



Downs one misty morning shortly before he won the 

 St. Leger. As Ormonde galloped past me I heard 

 him make a whistling noise. I was dumbfounded. 

 The idea that the horse I almost worshipped was 

 afflicted with wind infirmity distressed me in a way I 

 cannot describe. I hardly slept at all the following 

 night. My mind would dwell on the fact that 

 Ormonde had become a victim of that scourge, roaring. 

 I at once wrote to the Duke, who was naturally deeply 

 grieved by the news. At that period the ailment was 

 very slight, but it gradually got worse. 



"During the winter 1886-7 Ormonde was electri- 

 cally treated. The electric sponge was applied every 

 day to the paralysed nerve in his throat. The process 

 occupied about half-an-hour. At first Ormonde did 

 not take at all kindly to this doctoring, but he speedily 

 became accustomed to it and took no notice. I have 

 reason to think he derived no benefit from the treat- 

 ment ; nevertheless we persevered, for there seemed 

 to be no other remedy to try. When Ormonde 

 resumed work in the Spring of 1887 he had become 

 a pronounced whistler. One morning when there 

 was a thick fog on the downs we could hear him breath- 

 ing when he was nearly half a mile away. Of course, 

 the fog helped to carry and magnify the noise. The 

 Duke, who was with me, remarked sadly, ' I am afraid 

 there is not much doubt about it now ! ' 



" As a four-year-old he was galloped a mile the 



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