HORSES, HORSES, HORSES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18786, 15 June 1929, Page 23 (Supplement)

HORSES, HORSES, HORSES.

SOME NOTES ON FRIENDS OF FORTY YEARS AGO,

(By

IRON GREY.)

The author ol this article was greatly interested in a humorous description by Mr James Robinson of some horses he had known in his time. She therefore set down a few notes of some horses that were owned in her family some forty years ago, and the result is an intensely interesting article.

No. 1 was a sulky, stubborn thing named Mary. How grateful we were to her purchaser, and we did not want to see her again. No. 2 was hired from a livery stables for half a day to take the family to a funeral at Papanui. We were nearly there when it jibbed and would not move. The driver got down and used his boots and fists (the whip was broken over him), but that made no difference. Then a visitor in the party said: “We can go home now; the funeral is over, and they will be now going home.” The horse understood and took the party to the house of mourning.

No. 3.—An insurance traveller brought it harnessed 1 to put in our gig —it had been previously arranged, he said. It was so kind of the people that had lent the turnout. This brute was a little too big for the shafts. They fixed it all right, but it would not move and calmly lay down in the road and snapped off both shafts. The family did not like this horse, and for safety had harnessed it out on the road. It got up quietly enough with the broken shafts. The insurance agent said quite manfully: “Get this put right at once and of course I will pay.” His honourable speech was the finale of this event.

No. 4 was the prettiest in action and speed in Christchurch for many years. A gentleman who had a private museum offered a big sum of money for it. The offer was rejected. His intention was to have this horse and turnout made suitable for a glass Case. When this horse was nearly new to us an ■** elevated ” man took possession when it was made ready for a drive. They took away the reins, but he whipped it up and went away for an hour and then returned safely. This horse was kept in a stable and only paddocked for a rest sometimes. The rail was high enough to keep him in his stall. One time a winter supply of carrots for him was quite near. One day one of the family was peeping through a crack to see if the horse was there still. Ho was, sure enough, and down on his stomach wriggling under the bar. He got at the carrots, and when “ you rascal ” was said, he quietly crawled into the stall again.

No. 5 was the handsomest horse in Christchurch, named Ginger. It kept its appearance and speed to its end. It had a periodical complaint, but his owner worshipped him, and when he took a bad turn he had a veterinary surgeon and men to attend it. This owner died suddenly and left the horse to a man he considered would take care of it.

When he was alive he had stated that the horse should live his life through and then be presented to the Christchurch Museum. He was a wealthy business man, but it did not occur to him to leave any money for the horse’s upkeep. The new owner found it a drag on his resources, so he lent it to a x relative in the country. They had it two years. It was kept in a paddock with a high live fence. The slip rails had to be made higher, as he knew how to jump. He would go to measure against the slip rail, and then go back to consider the height, but did not try the jump. Our cow he drove up a long paddock each milking time and waited at the rails and drove her down the paddock again. One morning the cow was ill with a potato in its'throat. It was in the shed all dav. and the horse never left the rails and he occasionally whinnied to the cow. A man came and treated the cow, and the horse again drove her down the paddock. When this hprse took ill and required a vet. and men we wiped our foreheads and decided to shoot it, and telegraph the sad event to his owner.

No. 6 a magnificent black horse, coat like satin. He was of a wicked disposition, so much so that his name was Satan. His farrier was a horse enthusiast, and this brute caught his fancy. He belonged to an undertaker, but he was quite unsuited to his vocation. . Twenty pounds were asked for a quick riddance. The farrier got it. Well, he lent it to a relative, and he was paddocked on a big piece of ground with a high terrace in it. He galloped over the terrace and got so injured that when he recovered his handsome self was sold to a fishmonger.

No. 7, a gaunt big horse, was bought at auction for 6s. This willing, beautifully disposed horse was put with two others in farm work, and he did all the pulling. It was a sight to watch him at work.

No. 8 was named Crummy. He was a real nice horse, but had to be put away for a treatment of lard and ashes. This horse got lost, and is still missing now, nearly forty years after. No. 9 was a little old horse—the only horse the missus ever harnessed and drove. It would only walk for her. She was very attached to it. One sultry night the loaves of bread (holiday time) were forgotten and left on the porch table. An unnatural thundering noise woke the household, and they found the horse had chewed the bread and backed himself out of the house. We solcf this horse for £2 to a fishmonger. A few weeks after it died suddenly. No. 10 was a chestnut horse named Stockings, on account of his white legs. This was bought from a horse dealer we knew. He was a fly seller, but did not give a thought. He would do the same with a friend. It was three weeks after that the last piece of stuck-on horse skin came off a bare Pjftce- Its hoofs were quite done and the cracks were filled and darkened over. It had been a good horse. We were soriV to take in a stranger with it at half what we gave for it.

No. 11 had been a racehorse, an uncommon one. at that. When we got him he was only fit for a little carrying. He was quite worn out. He was stabled with others, and early one morning the missus was peeping in to see if all wa*? right. This horse had got out and was biting another horse, which was white with later. When the door was opened he rushed out, kicking and pawing. He galloped over fences and through "several cottagers' vegetable gardens. No. 12.—We were in a dray and had a good horse named Pari. At a corner near home he put down his head and tried to somersault, but the weight of the dray and harness kept him back. I swung out on to the ground and then fell down. The missus, being a heavv-weight, slipped down between the shafts. I was able to hold his head down until help arrived. The harness had to be cut in a few places, and several buttons, etc., gave way on me. The horse was not used again for a month.