Miscellaneous - Page 12

to be given him by his passport. He rode one and led another fully saddled, and he had two guards to bring them back. The stations were from 15 to 30 miles apart and he rode each stage at full gallop. At every third stage he had a cup of tea, but without halting-and after 18 hours in the saddle he ate some boiled mutton and slept. And so on incessantly for nine days! King's celebrated ride from Durban to Graham-stone must take second place to the above, but it was a remarkable performance. He rode the 600 miles in eight days riding (ten days in all) on two horses, leading one and riding the other, his path was through unknown and hostile country. The arab mare Ramla (14.3) did 306 miles in five days carrying 14 st. 4 Ib. (actual time 51 hours). An Anglo-Arab, Gonga (15.3), carrying 16 st. 1 lb., did 300 miles in five days (45 hours on the road). A Mr. Bell, on a Yorkshire mare, rode from York to London in 84 hours and returned in 81 hours.

The Forward Seat should not be considered only as a show-ring seat. It is part and parcel of cross-country riding and was originally created for this purpose. The ring and its jumping competitions were an afterthought. (From Santini's Riding Reflections.)

Jumping Records: Heather bloom jumped 8 ft. 1 in. in New York in September 1902. The Chandler cleared 39 ft. at Warwick in 1847. Skyscraper jumped 8 ft. 3 in. at Olympia.

Jumping records - Ponies: Blackjack (13.3) cleared 6 ft. 3 in. 1 Vide Beats Men and Gods, by Ossendonshi, page 110. Thumbs-up (14.1) cleared 7 ft. 5 in. and 33ft. over water.

Record Prices Paid for Racehorses: Tracery: 1920 Bought by Senor Anzue for £53,000 Call Boy: 1927 Bought by Sir H. Mallaby Deeley for £60,000 Solario: 1932 Bought by Sir H. Mallaby Deeley for £47,000

An Equine Methusaleh: The oldest known horse lived to be 56. Born in 1771, he died in 1827, having worked up to 1819, 48 years.

Pacing Record: Dan Patch, 1 mile in 1m. 53 sec.

Trotting Record: Uhlan, 1 mile in 1m. 54 sec.