44 JiUN WITH QUEEN^S STAGHOUNDS, 1858 



1858) I rode her one day with the Queen's Staghounds. 

 The deer was uncarted at Maidenhead Thicket, and 

 gave us a rattHng gallop. Although this was the first 

 time the mare had ever been over a country, she never 

 made a mistake. The pace was a hot one, and to save 

 time I rode her over several gates, which she cleared 

 in the most perfect form. At last we came to a gate 

 which was locked, and Mr. Tattersall had dismounted 

 to open it for the well-known lady rider, Miss Gilbert. 

 I requested him to let me ' have it,' which he did, and 

 the result was that I got away and finished the run 

 alone, as the field were pounded. The deer ran into a 

 yard belonging to (I think) a Mr. Mason. As neither 

 Davis nor anyone else was up, I shut the stag, Old 

 Woodman, up in an out-building. Unfortunately, 

 there was a quantity of hay and straw lying about, and 

 so I did not observe that I at the same time shut the 

 door on two or three hounds also. I grieve to say 

 that they killed the poor old stag, which had, I believe, 

 been running for some fifteen years. A full accdunt 

 of this run appeared in \X\^ Moniiug Post. This mare, 

 which I had named Fidget, afterwards made a name 

 for herself, both in the hunting-field and over a course. 

 When I rode her in the run I have described she was 

 but a four- year-old. Captain Irwin (late i6th Lancers) 

 bought her, and I believe bred some good foals from 

 her. Strange to say, one of her feet was very curiously 

 turned in, but it did not interfere with her going, and 

 she never made a mistake, though it was, of course, 

 necessary to have her very carefully shod. 



If the points upon which I lay stress are attended to 

 in breeding, success must follow. If the breeder is 

 doubtful of his own judgment, I would advise his 



