CHAPTER XV 



PRECOCITY IN THE SADDLE 



I HAVE heard it stated, on good authority, that Fred 

 Archer rode well to hounds at the age of seven, and 

 that he won a long steeplechase at Bangor when he was 

 thirteen. 



Mr George Thompson too, the noted gentleman rider, 

 from a boy had an almost intuitive knowledge of riding, 

 and at eight years old would follow his father across 

 country on a spirited little pony. While he was still a 

 mere child, his father matched a pony called Maid of 

 Skelgate against a certain gentleman's hack, catch-weights, 

 half a mile, each to ride his own. On going down to the 

 start, Mr Thompson senior discovered that a jockey boy 

 who was in Scott's stables was preparing to ride his 

 opponent's horse. Against this he remonstrated, as he 

 understood the conditions were " owners up." When, 

 however, the articles were looked through, it was discovered 

 that this stipulation had been omitted, and Thompson's 

 opponent openly boasted that he had got the best of the 

 match, as Thompson weighed over 1 1 St., and the jockey 

 under 7 st. Thompson rode off to his carriage, where his 

 wife and family were seated, and said to her, " Hand me 

 out George; I am too heavy." And the next moment the 

 little fellow was put out and mounted on Maid of Skelgate. 

 As he cantered with his father down to the post, without 

 boots or breeches, showing his little red legs and trousers, 

 he was loudly cheered. "What am I to do, papa?" he 

 asked. " Why, hold your reins tight, and directly they 

 say ' Go ' come home as fast as you can." He obeyed 

 these simple instructions to the letter, and won in a canter, 

 after which he was put back in the carriage. At this time 



