Sires and Brood Mares 7 1 



and then you have found a diamond of the first water ; 

 but I fear it is generally the case of the exception proving 

 the rule ! 



To show the possibilities that may occur, I will relate 

 an experience during the latter days of that mismanaged 

 concern, the old Eawcliffe Stud Company. Two of their 

 stallions, with the mares and foals, were standing, 

 for convenience sake, at Fairfield, which was close 

 by, and then belonged to the executors of the late 

 Mr. John Jackson, the well-known bookmaker. My 

 cousin, the late Captain Frederick Thompson, was 

 living at Poppleton at that time, where he bred that 

 good but unlucky horse " Eobbie Burns," and we walked 

 over together one morning to go and see the breeding 

 stock, but without having intimated that we were coming. 

 We crossed the Ouse by the railway bridge, and on 

 entering the first paddock we were startled by finding 

 the leg of a foal lying on the ground. As we went 

 through the fields, we saw here and there other limbs, 

 and portions of dead foals, and were utterly at a loss 

 to account for such a thing until the manager came up 

 to us. We at once mentioned what we had seen, when 

 he coolly remarked, " Oh, yes, I keep a lot of fowls for 

 ' showing,' and the foals when they die, breed a lot of 

 insects for them. I always have them left for the 

 chickens ! " No wonder that complaints had been rife 

 of barren mares, and misfortunes amongst them, and that 

 breeders fought shy of sending their animals there. The 

 company was soon afterwards wound up, and the manager's 

 services were eagerly secured by a new company that had 

 lately arisen. It need hardly be said that before many 

 seasons were over, that company also found it necessary 



