"Old Buck," and Others 



was brought over from Ireland, I believe, by 

 Captain Grissell, and won a maiden hunters' 

 steeplechase at Aldershot for half-bred horses. 

 That was on 27th April 1872, when she was 

 called " Wiry Sal," being afterwards renamed 

 " Wings." She must have been a rare good sort. 

 Here, too, is a little more interesting informa- 

 tion about my old friend, " Grudon," who seems 

 to have had bad luck in regard to his show 

 experiences. Mr Bletsoe writes to me as follows : 



" I was induced last spring to send * Grudon ' 

 to the Hunters' Improvement Show, London, 

 when two young veterinary surgeons appointed 

 to examine the horses declared that he had a 

 ringbone, and as there was no appeal, he was not 

 allowed to go into the ring. What appeared to 

 them to be a ringbone was the result of the 

 accident when you rode him in the Lancashire 

 Steeplechase, and he split his pastern. He stood 

 training for nine consecutive years, including a 

 preparation for three " Nationals " and twice for 

 the Paris Steeplechase ; he is perfectly sound and 

 a fine mover now." 



According to my judgment, " Grudon " is just 

 the sort of horse that ought to be encouraged by 

 the Hunters' Improvement Society, because we 

 know — and nobody has more reason to know it 

 than I have — that he could go fast, and stay, 



223 



