THE HORSE DOCTOR'S UGLY FALL. 57 



will not turn rough-rider to please any man living." The 

 truth was, he always held steeple chases in aversion, on the 

 ground that they unfairly and cruelly taxed the powers of a 

 horse, and, moreover, because they were patronised by such 

 as preferred seeing others break their necks to the risk of 

 breaking their own. Clinker was afterwards beaten by 

 Clasher, who was ridden by Mr.Osbaldeston, Dick Christian 

 riding Clinker. The ground selected was that from Great 

 Dalby to Tilton, a distance of five miles. Mr. Osbaldeston 

 afterwards crowned the victory he had already obtained, by 

 defeating Captain Ross himself, the former being mounted 

 on Pilot, and the captain on Polecat. 



Mr. Smith was once riding Radical, soon after he liad 

 made him handy, in the Market Harborough country, when 

 he observed, even while the hounds were drawing, a fellow, 

 dressed like a horse jockey at a fair, following close after 

 him over every leap he took. On inquiry he ascertained 

 that the man was a horse doctor, who had made a 

 bet that his horse would jump anything that should be 

 cleared by Radical. Matters went on pretty smoothly until 

 they found, when the squire's rival for some time followed 

 close, until they arrived at a hog-backed foot-style with a tre- 

 mendous drop, and with steps into a road. This Radical 

 cleared, but his unfortunate follower's horse, striking the 

 top bar with his knees, came headlong into the road with 

 his rider, who was carried home senseless. The next day, as 

 the squire was riding through the village, he was mobbed 

 and hooted by the old women, as being the man who had 

 nearly killed their hard-riding farrier. This anecdote is 

 not unlike that told of Burton, the Nuneaton tanner, who 

 always made a dead set at Mr. Smith in a similar way. 

 The tanner was habitually attired in a light-coloured green 

 coat, from which he received the name of Paroquet, and he 

 rode remarkably well. The squire at last, being determined 

 to shake him off, sent Jack-o'-Lantern at an almost imprac- 

 ticable flight of stiff rails, the top bar of which he broke, 



