The Life of Fred Archer 45 
come out hunting on a cob, and his two boys Fred and Charlie 
used to come out on ponies. The two Owens, myself, and the 
two Archer boys were the small boys of the Cotswold Hunt, 
and used to shove along against each other. I think most of 
us were under 12 when I first remember. Everybody used 
to notice Fred's seat and his riding even at that early age. 
" His riding career was stopped for a time by an accident, 
out with the Cotswolds. He got jammed in a gateway, and 
a horse ridden by a huge man called Tom Potter lashed out 
and broke his leg. However, he mended all right, and I 
remember soon after that he rode his first race on a pony at a 
country meeting near Naunton Inn," 
Fred's performances in the saddle naturally opened the 
eyes of his father and friends to the lad's abundant promise as 
a jockey, and with three or four training stables around, such 
as Weever's at Bourton, Holman's at Cheltenham, and Golby's 
at Northleach, it would be surprising if overtures were not 
made by one or another to secure the services of such a likely 
lightweight. Probably such were made, but more probably 
William Archer looked higher for his second son, having in his 
eldest, WilUam, one likely enough to follow in his own footsteps. 
However, trade fell off at the King's Arms, Archer became 
hard pressed financially, and Charles went to William Reed's 
stable. There are several accounts as to how Fred's fate was 
sealed, and he was apprenticed to Mathew Dawson ; but there 
seems little doubt that Mr. William La Terriere first suggested 
that Fred should go to Mathew Dawson. 
It was after a hunt, and William Archer and his son Fred 
were returning home, when they met Mr. John Reed, the owner 
of the famous mare Fantine. It is said of Fantine that they 
once sent her down from Stratford-on-Avon and walked her 
into Prestbury the day before the races, in charge of a funny 
old countryman, and the people poked fun at him and Fantine 
as they came down the Evesham Road. But Fantine beat Mr. 
Marsh on Pickles and fourteen or fifteen others, and the old 
