II.— EARLIEST RIDING DAYS 



As a matter of fact, I scarcely remember the 

 days when I was not riding. My father's views 

 as to the training of a jockey were that the latter 

 must begin when he is young, and that, unless 

 he makes an early start, he is not likely to 

 "finish" with true artistic skill. Those ideas 

 were certainly carried into practical effect so 

 far as my brothers and I have been concerned. 

 Chances to excel were placed in our way. I 

 have always thought that the reason why many 

 gentlemen jockeys do not acquire the art of 

 " finishing " brilliantly is that they did not com- 

 mence to learn at a sufficiently early age. Pos- 

 sessing many of the other essentials, with plenty 

 of pluck and enthusiasm, they have failed to 

 some extent when it came to a question of a 

 severe struggle after jumping the last fence. 



At the age of about six or seven I began to 

 ride a pony, and a queer-tempered customer he 

 was, having only one eye and an abundance of 



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