Riding Orders 



advantage. He might as wisely tell us how to 

 fly without the necessary apparatus. 



Not long ago I was interested in a race at 

 Hurst Park, when a gentleman rider's orders 

 were quaint. His idea at first was to commit 

 them to memory ere it became too late for him 

 to carry them into effect. 



" My horse," he informed me with flashing 

 eyes, " is a fearful ' welsher,' so that his estimable 

 trainer has blinkered him, stuffed his ears full of 

 cotton - wool, and made him about half-drunk. 

 He can barely see, he can't hear ; I hope that 

 he won't stagger about or squeal, and, what is 

 more, they have deprived me of my whip and 

 spurs. The place is marked for me on the 

 course where I am to make my final desperate 

 effort. Do you think " — he smiled sweetly — 

 "this is a sort of cake-walk or beanfeast for 

 me?" 



Whilst, naturally, I was unable to satisfy his 

 legitimate curiosity concerning the point at issue, 

 I watched the race with a great deal of interest. 

 Never were riding orders more faithfully exe- 

 cuted. He came to the front at the exact spot 

 prescribed, nay, marked out for his guidance, 

 and, riding vigorously thence with his hands — 

 the horse took a lot of keeping straight — he 



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