29 



The hunting establishment at Curraghmore, in the venatic reign 

 of the present Marquis, consisted, on an average, of thirteen hunters 

 for his own riding. All were up to eighteen stone, full of quality, 

 magnificent fencers, and able to carry him over any country to the 

 tail of the hounds, and to stay with them, no matter how hard or far 

 they ran. He had, as a rule, twenty-one for his huntsman and two 

 whippers-in ; while with those ridden by Lady Waterford, the car- 

 riage horses and young ones, eighty stalls in the Curraghmore stables 

 were kept constantly occupied. 



The stud-groom was Johnny Ryan (no relative, however, of the 

 former huntsman), and he had under him between coachmen, second 

 horsemen, and helpers about forty men directly connected with the 

 stables. In the kennels were always from fifty to sixty couple of 

 hounds, with Duke, two whippers-in, feeder, and assistant. 



Lord Waterford hunted his country in regal fashion and at great 

 expense, for no money was ever spared by him in doing a thing well 

 if he did it at all. He had always two, sometimes three, horses out 

 each day for his own riding. The huntsman and two whips had 

 each two a day. In addition to these, Lady Waterford had her own 

 two, and generally three or four more were sent for some of the 

 visitors who might be short of mounts. Thus some fourteen or fifteen 

 hunters were sent from Curraghmore every day his lordship hunted ; 

 not including, of course, the visitors' own horses. He usually drove 

 the party to the meet in his coach and four, but many times extra 

 traps had to be requisitioned. He always drove greys, the family 

 colour. As with the hunters, the carriage horses and hacks were just 

 the very best of their sort that money could buy or good judgment 

 select. 



Out of such a large stable of horses, where all were exceptionally 

 good, it is difficult to name what might be considered the best, parti- 

 cularly when a period of eleven years has to be dealt with ; but I 

 should say the following were as near perfection as ever were horses 

 capable of carrying eighteen stone to hounds: — Irishman, Arthur, 

 Knockany, Heron, Mainspring, Callan, The Clown, a wonderful bay 

 horse from Galway whose name I forget, Zinganee, and Poulaphouca. 

 The latter horse, in January, 1885, jumped with Lord Waterford the 

 Ptagdale Bottom, in Leicestershire, covering twenty-six feet from 

 where he took off to where he landed. Of course I remember a great 

 many others which could gallop and stay under his lordship, but I 

 forget their names. 



A very short way would go the average cost of foxhunting a 

 <30untry in maintaining an establishment such as this. 



As is shown in another chapter the annual cost is estimated at 

 £650 for each day per week the hounds hunt. I am quite sure his 

 hunting cost Lord Waterford £1,000 a day, and as he hunted 

 regularly four days a week, with an occasional by-day, it would 

 come to over £4,000 a year, and that exclusive of the expense of 

 his own personal hunting and cost of horses for his own riding. 



