STEEPLECHASING WITHOUT TEARS. 



kept a good hunter sire, but the time came when 

 he was without one, so he and I went to the 

 December Sales at Newmarket and, after spending 

 three days there, and not finding what we wanted, 

 we had decided to come home. I was watching 

 a string of horses walking round preparatory to going 

 into the sale ring, and I was very struck with a 

 brown horse and so, really just out of curiosity, I 

 looked it up in the catalogue. When I saw how 

 he was bred I felt sure he would make a big price, 

 but, to my astonishment, they could not get anyone 

 to start him. Eventually, I think, he was started 

 at about 200, so I found my father and persuaded 

 him to bid for him. I think we got him for about 

 360. He was about the only thoroughbred horse 

 that I heard Tattersall give a guarantee of soundness 

 with. He was a very good looking horse by 

 Galopin out of Spinaway (winner of the Oaks). 

 No better bred horse existed. He made a wonder- 

 ful Hunter Sire. 



I must relate a very amusing incident in my life. 

 We used to break a few horses into harness, and 

 we had one of those tall skeleton brakes that one 

 sits high up on. The late Lord Spencer happened 

 to call one day and saw me get up, and he said he 

 would like to come with me. I was a very poor 

 coachman and Lord Spencer criticised the way I 

 was driving. I was rather nervous with him sitting 

 perched up by my side and we nearly had a spill. 

 He ended up by teaching me how to drive. 



