264 EACECOURSE AND COVERT SIDE. 



think that a feast which would last a man for 

 a couple of weeks in town signifies rather a 

 weak and jaded digestion than otherwise. 



Meantime the sun has come out gloriously, 

 and doubts about the possibility of jumping this 

 afternoon are entirely removed before our horses 

 come round for a return to the downs, though 

 when we are in the saddle we soon find that 

 the ground is somewhat treacherous ; and this is 

 made very disagreeably plain by the discovery 

 that one of the foals in a paddock by which we 

 pass has sHpped up and severely strained himself. 

 On the downs, however, the sun is bright, and 

 except for a slight mist which prevents one from 

 seeing at a distance, it is a beautiful January 

 afternoon. The young ones are soon despatched 

 on their afternoon's work, and then the trainer 

 turns his attention to the jumpers, several of 

 which are to go over the hurdles on the steeple- 

 chase course here laid out. 



Preliminary lessons are taken in the grove, 

 close to Danebury, a plantation due to the 

 forethought of old Alfred Sadler, who used to train 

 here some half-century ago (in the annals of the 

 Turf these grounds are second to no training 

 ground in England), and who planted these 

 trees, so that on the broad walks of the cover 

 horses might be sheltered whichever way the 



