Identifier: ridingrecollecti00cust (find matches)
Title: Riding recollections and turf stories
Year: 1894 (1890s)
Authors: Custance, Henry
Subjects: Horses Horse racing
Publisher: London : E. Arnold
Contributing Library: Webster Family Library of Veterinary Medicine
Digitizing Sponsor: Tufts University

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r, who rejoicedin the name of Squirt Norton (he had lived withMr. Bloss as helper in the winter), to come and leadhim back ; but he knew Broomielaws little playfulways, such as biting off a mans thumb, so declinedhaving anything to do with him. The horse wasvery self-willed, and there we were for over half anhour. Eventually I had my fight out with him, as,after going down on his knees, worrying the ground,and doing everything he could, I had fairly beatenhim, when he donkeyed, or I might say turnedstubborn, and I could not move him. There weretwenty-one runners, and the other score had beenat the post all the time waiting for me. At lastMcGeorge, the starter, called out: I cant wait any longer for you, Custance. I begged of him to give me one more chance, andto send his man to me, which he did. I said tohim : Now hit him as hard as you possibly can belowthe hocks, and then crack your whip. He did so, and off went Broomielaw, happily inthe right direction. McGeorge dropped his flag to
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2 £ H IRast^ mount 63 a very good start under the circumstances, andbefore we had gone two hundred yards I was in thefirst three, and there I remained till going round thetop turn. Here I called out to Sammy Morden tokeep straight, but he thought I wanted him topull out, and said something, but on looking roundhe saw Broomielaw with his mouth wide open.Master Sam did not ask any more questions, butmade room for me, and away Broomielaw went,and won in a canter by two lengths ; but he stoppedwithin twenty yards of the winning post and kicked.This was Broomielaws last race. They couldntget him to Brighton the next week, where he wasin the Champagne Stakes, a race he couldnt havelost; but he kicked both the back of the horse-vanand the horse-box out, injuring himself so badlythat he never ran again. This savage but smarthorse was afterwards bought by Sir John Astley,who, I believe, could do more with him than any-one else. He was not a success at the stud, as hetransmitted his bad temper

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