Dick Christian again. 23 



try's on the road ; he looks like Leicestershire, that 

 one, long and low. I like to see all four shoes when 

 they're going along ; it shows action. For riding, I 

 like mares as well as horses. Give me 'em lengthy 

 and short-legged for Leicestershire ; I wouldn't have 

 'em no bigger than fifteen-three : great rump, hips, and 

 hocks ; fore-legs well afore them, and good shoulders ; 

 thorough-bred if you can get them, but none of your 

 high short horses. Thorough-bred horses make the 

 best hunters. I never heard of a great thing yet but 

 it was done by a thorough-bred horse. Many of these 

 modern men, they'd tire anything : they seat on Horse- 

 don't set at liberty on a horse, as I mean ; back, 

 they've no proper power on their horse ; a man's body 

 should be all loose, but he should be firm in his thigh; 

 you shouldn't be able to see under 'em when you're 

 behind 'em. 



I mind once coming across here with He excites \\x. 

 hounds. One day I rode slap off a bridge Maher. 

 into a field to get to 'em ; this place reminds me of it. 

 I'd the hounds all to myself, and one of the gentlemen 

 gave me half a guinea — many's the half-guinea I've 

 got that way. One day they found at Glaston Gorse ; 

 they were all a trying to beat me. I heard Mr. Maher 

 say — Paddy Maher, they used to call him — ''Hang 

 that fellow ! he wears that left leg spur, and he catches 

 them; it's impossible to beat him: zvell have hi^n yet^ 

 Thinks I, if we do but come to a stitcher, I'll get shot 

 o' you. We comes up to some deer-rails, near Norman- 

 ton. " Now's my chance," I says, and over I goes. 

 " You may go if yoitlike, and be hanged to yon ; I shant 

 follow you!' he shouts. Captain White, Colonel 

 Lowther, and Sir James, none of them would have it ; 

 Mr. Maher shouted particklar at me all the way. There 

 was quite a Hazv, haw! among the gentlemen, when 

 he out with that last expression. We killed directly 

 after that. I was riding a horse of my own ; I bought 

 it from a farmer at Ashv/ell, here. Sir James gave 



