304 The Post and the Paddock, 



mation in Captain Barlow's hands about 1853, was 

 well known in the East Riding as perhaps the very- 

 best hunter-getter they ever had. After winning 

 twenty-five races he won ten premiums, and his colts 

 for years carried off all the prizes at the East Riding 

 shows, as well as the highest prices at the Horncastle 

 and Howden fairs. Mr. James Hall had a succes- 

 sion of splendid hunters by him in his stud for many 

 years, and he purchased the Hunter Prize colt at 

 the 1855 "Royal Agricultural," which was also one 

 of his family, for 250 guineas. They are short- 

 legged, with great substance, good colours, and " so 

 selling-XooVixi^ ;" flashy fore-ends and clever heads, 

 with the handsomest possible hind-quarters, and 

 " flags" which they invariably carry away naturally, 

 without that abominable " spice." As we once heard 

 a Yorkshire dealer say of them, *' They save a man 10/. 

 a year in ginger !" If his colts had a fault, it was that 

 they were a little apt to be pigeon-toed, and their 

 hocks stood rather far behind them ; but, take him for 

 all and all, Suffolk can never supply his place with a 

 better. 



The farmers have still a lingering love for the cock- 

 tail stallion, with the Rainbow neck and flowing 

 mane ; and if such a Fireaway should pass their gate, 

 they will be sure to use him, rather than send a mile 

 or two to a better horse. Generally speaking, they 

 dislike breeding ** riders," as they call them ; and 

 when we consider the great prices they have made 

 of their Suffolk cart stock, as foals, yearlings, and 

 two-year-olds, while they must keep their "riders" till 

 four years old, this prejudice is not to be wondered 

 at. Suffolk farms, too, are mostly small, and con- 

 veniences for keeping riding colts till four or five 

 years old very limited ; besides, looking at the half- 

 bred stallions they have bred from, it is not surprising 

 they should be disgusted with the result. They might, 

 with care, surely shine as much in riding-horses as in 



