RIDING RECOLLECTIONS 



acknowledged the line — " Forrard on, Sir Richard ! 

 — Hoic together, hoic ! You'll have him directly, 

 my beauties! He's a Ouorn fox, and he'll do 

 you good ! " 



I had always considered Ben Morgan an un- 

 usually fine rider. For the first time, I began to 

 understand why his horse never failed to carry 

 him so willingly and so well. 



I do not remember whether Dick Webster was 

 out with us that day, but I am sure if he was he 

 has not forofotten it, and I mention him as another 

 example of daring horsemanship combined with 

 an imperturbable good humour, almost verging 

 on buffoonery, which seems to accept the most 

 dangerous falls as enhancing the fun afforded by 

 a delightful game of romps. His annual exhibi- 

 tion of prowess at the Islington horse show has 

 made his shrewd, comical face so familiar to the 

 public that his name, without further comment, is 

 enough to recall the presence and bearing of the 

 man — his quips and cranks and merry jests, his 

 shrill whistle and ready smile, his strong seat 

 and light, skilful hand, but above all his untiring 

 patience and unfailing kindness with the most 

 restive and refractory of pupils. Dick, like many 

 other good fellows, is not so young as he was, 

 but he will probably be an unequalled rider at 

 eighty, and I am quite sure that if he lives to 

 the age of Methuselah, the extreme of senile 



lo 



