286 Steeple-Chasing 



mounted — after seeing him carefully fitted with ' hoots ' 

 lest he should cut or overreach — is the novice. The 

 spacious downs are dotted with made-up fences, forming 

 a circle some mile and a half round. Away to the right 

 are the grand stand, the disused telegraph-board, the 

 weighing-room, and other buildings belonging to the 

 course where the annual meeting is held ; their present 

 deserted aspect makes a striking contrast to the busy 

 scene with which they are once a year associated. A 

 string of some thirty sheeted horses are walking round 

 and round ; and up the slope surmounted by the planta- 

 tion, grown to protect horses from the weather, which- 

 ever way the wind may be, half a dozen others are moving 

 at a half speed gallop. It is that familiar scene, the race- 

 horse at home. 



But the three have started off, and near the first 

 fence. They come to it in a line, but the brown is over 

 first, and, moreover, is away first ; more is not perceptible 

 except that he evidently has the lead when they have 

 landed, a lead soon wrested from him by the impetuous 

 young one, whose rider does not violently Imul at his head, 

 but lets him go on for a little way almost as he pleases, 

 and then quietly draws him back again to the others. 

 They near the fence where we stand, and now we shall 

 see what they can do ! The brown has taken hold of his 

 bit, not to run away, but to lean on his rider's hand ; 

 the grey on the left is evidently galloping her hardest 

 though her companion is going easily within himself ; 

 the young one speeds along, his hinds legs well under 

 him, and as they near the fence, he pricks up his ears to 

 take in, as it were, what he has to do. The thud of their 

 hoofs on the soft turf is unchecked. Here they are! 

 The brown, with no perceptible effort in rising, glides 



