THE BROCKLESBY. 93 



is) quite an enthusiast in the matter of hunting, never missing 

 a meet if she can possibly avoid it, and, when hounds run, she 

 can liold her own either across the wolds or amongst the big 

 drains of the low country ; and many as are the ladies I have in 

 my time seen going to hounds, I have met few, or none, who 

 could have held their own with her, as she not only rides 

 boldly, but appears to have an instinctive knowledge of how a 

 country should be crossed, as well as the run of a fox, and 

 is thus able to make the most of her horse. Very many ladies 

 ride boldly, and, when well piloted, will allow no fence to turn 

 them ; but those who can select their own line, and know what 

 hounds are doing and when to ride, are few and far between. 

 I have spoken of the Brocklesby as one of the founda- 

 tion stones of the modern fox-hound. ]^o less celebrated is 

 Lincolnshire altogether, and especially this portion of it, for 

 producing hunters, and many a good one has first drawn breath 

 on the wolds. The grey Peter Simple, who won such world- 

 wide fame, came, I believe, from the Brocklesby country ; and the 

 no loss celebrated Gay Lad was foaled in a village near Market 

 Easen, just on the borders of the Burton country, and, ridden 

 for the most part by Captain Skipworth, earned his first laurels 

 in the home circuit. His breeder and first owner, Mr. Davey, 

 was a very tall, heavy man, and once, having occasion to ride 

 him himself somewhat unexpectedly, did without food or sleep 

 for three days to reduce himself to the weight ; and, although I 

 have heard, I am afraid to trust my memory to show how much 

 he lowered himself in the time. I know it was almost in- 

 credible, and, had I not heard it from his own lips, I could not 

 have believed it possible. They are a race not easily to be 

 turned from their purpose, these same Lincolnshire farmers, 

 and I verily believe that such a hard-riding lot of men is 

 to be found in no country in the world as they are, for, although 

 the Melton men go as hard as it is possible to go, it must be 

 remembered that they are generally on the picked hunters 

 of the world— the most clever and the best horses that 



