Training Dijficulties 209 



join my string at Gibraltar as soon as the round of spring 

 races were over. When he arrived I treated him exactly 

 as if he had never been handled at all, beginning with the 

 breaking-tackle and long reins ; and though we had several 

 battles, he was quite quiet before I attempted to ride 

 him. At first he gave some trouble, and twice bolted 

 into the sea with me, at one time swimming so far out 

 amongst the shipping, that I began to wonder if we 

 should ever see Spain again, as he had set his head 

 straight for Africa. 



By constantly splashing water in his face, I at last got 

 him to turn a wide semicircle, and eventually he carried 

 me ashore again without mishap. He gradually got quiet, 

 and we began to canter him, but when we tried him for 

 the first time, the slowest horse in the stable could run 

 away from him. I accordingly wrote to his owner to say 

 that " Babieca " had become quite quiet, but was so slow 

 that any hack could beat him. He sent word that the 

 colt was to be returned to him, but I begged to keep him 

 a little longer, as with his beautiful, easy action, it seemed 

 certain that some day he must be able to win a race. One 

 day he suddenly began to improve, and such progress did 

 he make that I was able to write again to Mr. Garvey and 

 say that either of two maiden races was at his mercy, 

 whichever he cared to select. He chose the one at Cadiz, 

 as it was not so far for him to come to see the colt run. 

 " Babieca " ran very kindly ; and we won by a length, with 

 half a length between the second and third. 



He had run so well, that the next day we allowed 



him to start for the chief three-year-old race of the 



meeting ; but, as the weight he had to carry was too light 



to permit of my riding him, a professional jockey was 



14 



