148 TALES AND TRAITS OF SPORTING LIFE. 



lie took the young' one over the rails quite a treat to see. 

 But this jumping* business^ in cold blood, is not altogether 

 a sight for a sportsman, especially on a damp drizzling- 

 day, with men and horses that are or have been about 

 wet throug'h, and that come to their work chilled and 

 starved. Some of them wanted a deal of warming-, and 

 Mr. Jackson's horse, for one, went round, all for the lack 

 of a little more rousing-. 



The Cleveland mares were very excellent, thoug-h they 

 are often crossing these, even for carriage horses, into 

 '^ something- better ;" and the two and three-year-old 

 hunting- stock were almost g-enerally remarkable for their 

 good action. In a word, the horse show, try it where you 

 would, was of that extent and character which no district 

 but one somewhere in Yorkshire could furnish. And the 

 Middlesbro' was essentially a horse show. It was said 

 there were pigs and sheep and cattle on the ground, 

 which we trust their friends were able to find. But nine- 

 tenths of the public came to see the horses and hounds, 

 and looked at, and talked of, and thought of nothing else, 

 save, perhaps, the horse-shoeing, at which some twenty 

 sons of V^ilcan went to work ; but they were capped on a 

 vast deal too fast, and, when only too late, discovered 

 that those who had done iirst had not done best. In the 

 whole art and mystery of farriery more horses have been 

 injured from being- shod in a hurry than from any other 

 cause. The men clearly did not know what was wanted, 

 and for the future they must point out the line a little 

 clearer. 



That a creditable or a really excellent show of thorough- 

 bred stallions can be got together is thus an established 

 fact. Let us make it a precedent. With liberal pre- 

 miums, good management, and efficient judges, there may 



