30 JOHN PORTER OF KINGSCLERE 



It, therefore, fell to my lot to act as secretary — 

 almost, indeed, as manager. And remember I 

 was only seventeen years old. Mr. Padwick 

 must have had great faith in me. Money set 

 apart for running the stable was lodged in the 

 local bank in my name. I paid all bills and 

 wages, and kept the books. I even paid Goater, 

 my master, his wages I He did not mind in the 

 least. In addition to my secretarial work I 

 acted as head man to Goater, superintended the 

 feeding of the horses, looked after the other boys 

 and their meals, and when the horses needed 

 physic it was I who administered the balls. In 

 short, Goater did nothing beyond the actual 

 training of the horses. 



Perhaps I should explain that I was no longer 

 an apprentice, for when Day left Findon my in- 

 dentures were cancelled. I continued, however, 

 to " do ** one of the horses myself. Looking 

 back to that time I can only conclude that I must 

 have had a veritable passion for work. I was not 

 idle a moment. On a wet day, while the other 

 boys were whiling away the time in the saddle- 

 room, I would go to my horse and clean his 

 mane and tail until there was not a spot of dust 

 to be seen. If we were ** breaking '* yearlings, 

 I would often sit on one of the youngsters in 

 his box and " mouth " him for an hour. No 

 doubt this industry was noticed by patrons of, 

 and visitors to, the stable, and to it I must 



