Melton : its Horses and Hotmds, 5 7 



bred and handsome animals as ever were seen will be 

 met with in the various stables. As a specimen of a 

 heavy-weight carrier I consider Mr. Little Gilmour's 

 grey to be perfect ; that Lord Grey de Wilton^s lot of 

 thoroughbred horses could not be easily matched ; 

 whilst those of Lord Wolverton's stud, the pick of Sir 

 John Lister Kaye's, the lengthy bay horse recently 

 purchased by Mr. Lubbock, the chestnut which 

 carries Mr. Cecil Chaplin, or the black horse with the 

 hog mane that has already been mentioned, are deserv- 

 ing of the highest commendation, and are quite good 

 enough to go across any country ; and, looking at the 

 straight going over the unusually heavy lands which I 

 witnessed, I refuse to believe that even those far-famed 

 riders whose names are. familiar to old frequenters of 

 Melton cannot be readily matched by the men of the 

 period. The Messrs. Russell, who have come from 

 Australia, have brought some horses with them ; and 

 the one alongside of which I rode, though very raw, 

 may be described as a useful animal, but hardly worth 

 the trouble and expense that it must have cost his 

 owners to bring him over. These gentlemen ride very 

 hard indeed, not being at all particular as to what 

 they charge, and being mounted on some occasions on 

 horses supplied by Percival, of Wansford, they are 

 able to go the pace. 



Whilst speaking of imported horses I am reminded 

 of one I saw the other day at the Bell at Leicester, the 

 most perfect specimen of the Flanders breed that 

 I have ever seen, such an animal as Rosa^ Bonheur 

 would have delighted to paint — coal black, very small 

 and beautiful head, arched neck, prominent eye^ 

 high crest, round barrel, and splendid mane and tail ; 



