Some Steeplechase Horses 99 



winner of many races, and that he had ridden the horse 

 several times, but that " Leading Suit " had gradually 

 become the master, and utterly refused to jump for him. 

 At last he had thrown the mount up. When it became 



known that had refused a mount on Milligan's horse, 



on account of its temper, no one else would ride it, and 

 they were at their wits' end for a jockey. This man had 

 proposed to give me the chance, for he had often 

 seen me ride " Kettle-Holder," an excellent hunter, 

 and own brother to " Ella," but a very bad-tempered 

 horse. If I rode one bad-tempered horse for myself, why 

 should I not ride another for them seemed a natural question, 

 and hence they applied to me. He said they were 

 watching with the greatest anxiety when the horse refused, 

 and their relief was intense when I rode up and asked 

 permission to administer the whip, and it was when they 

 saw the horse was conquered that they made use of the 

 words that so puzzled me. 



The fence that is now known as the " Regulation 

 Ditch" was just then (1870), though not compulsory, 

 being introduced on some of the " made " steeplechase 

 courses, and we were racing over one for the first time at 

 Aldershot. On the opening day I had noticed " Tilbury 

 Nogo " refuse this fence and then bolt up a lane to the 

 left, disappearing from view altogether. When I was 

 proceeding to don my racing things , on the second day, I 

 was surprised to see his owner, an officer in the 42nd 

 Highlanders, pulling on his boots, with a very dismal face. 

 He came from my part of Yorkshire, being the son of a 

 banker at Harrogate, and knowing that he never rode in 

 steeple-chases I expressed my surprise to find him 

 dressing. He informed me that his jockey of the previous 



