A JOCKEY'S EXPERIENCE.

Bruce Herald, Volume XLVI, Issue 41, 26 May 1910, Page 3

A JOCKEY'S EXPERIENCE.

The celebrated English horseman liiivh tolls the following good story m •K.-v's Magazine': "1 was specially en<ra<H!d to ride a certain brute ol a horse, trained privately, of course, at Worcester. After having great dithcultv ill saddling this savage quadruped ] was given my orders, which were to take the most express care to be sure and not movo on him—his name was Silver Sword—until I reached the straight. In the meantime L may say that I had to negotiate the biggest part of the figure 'B,' and as a matter of fact before reaching the straight many things happened provision tor which was assuredly not made in the orders given me. The first trick my amiable mount tried to play with me was to bolt into the river. I frustrated his kindly intention, however, and turned his head towards the five-tuilong post, where there used to be a big ditch, and into tlhs_ receptacle my mount carried me, and it was only after a (rreat struggle that I managed to persuade him that a ditch was not the best place in the world for a flat-racer to spend an hour or so in. 'tnditched,' Silver Sword then bolted into the big fair annually held on the Pitch Croft, scattering the people left and right. Eventually, after playing 'old Harry' with all sorts of sideshows, lie meandered off in the direction of a wild beasts' show, outside of which the showman called, 'Hallo! hallo! Here we are! - More performers, more performers! Roll up, sir; roll up!' I did nothing of the sort, but left tho mad brute with the showman to make food for the lions or any other use of ray mount which happened to appeal to him. On reaching the paddock 1 met the anxious owner, who eagerly asked me where his horse was. '1 nave left Silver Sword with the manager of the wild beasts' show,' I replied, think it's the best place for him, too, and if he is wise he will not be long before he cuts him up for'food for his hungry lions. Inside a lion, and, added' with emphasis, 'not on a racecourse is the proper place lor a madheaded quadruped like yours.' I never heard what became of the horse, but for the owner's sake' 1 sincerely trust he was turned into lions' food, as that fate would have saved endless expense in ontrance fees and so forth."