horse very much, particularly if he gets kind words into the bargain.
We stopped once or twice on the road, and just as the sun was going down
we reached the town where we were to spend the night. We stopped at the
principal hotel, which was in the market-place; it was a very large one;
we drove under an archway into a long yard, at the further end of which
were the stables and coachhouses. Two hostlers came to take us out. The
head hostler was a pleasant, active little man, with a crooked leg,
and a yellow striped waistcoat. I never saw a man unbuckle harness so
quickly as he did, and with a pat and a good word he led me to a long
stable, with six or eight stalls in it, and two or three horses. The
other man brought Ginger; James stood by while we were rubbed down and
cleaned.
I never was cleaned so lightly and quickly as by that little old man.
When he had done James stepped up and felt me over, as if he thought I
could not be thoroughly done, but he found my coat as clean and smooth
as silk.
Well, he said, I thought I was pretty quick, and our John quicker
still, but you do beat all I ever saw for being quick and thorough at
the same time.
Practice makes perfect, said the crooked little hostler, and 'twould
be a pity if it didn't; forty years' practice, and not perfect! ha, ha!
that would be a pity; and as to being quick, why, bless you! that is
only a matter of habit; if you get into the habit of being quick it is
just as easy as being slow; easier, I should say; in fact it don't agree
with my health to be hulking about over a job twice as long as it need
take. Bless you! I couldn't whistle if I crawled over my work as some
folks do! You see, I have been about horses ever since I was twelve
years old, in hunting stables, and racing stables; and being small, ye
see, I was jockey for several years; but at the Goodwood, ye see, the
turf was very slippery and my poor Larkspur got a fall, and I broke my
knee, and so of course I was of no more use there. But I could not live
without horses, of course I couldn't, so I took to the hotels. And I
can tell ye it is a downright pleasure to handle an animal like this,
well-bred, well-mannered, well-cared-for; bless ye! I can tell how a
horse is treated. Give me the handling of a horse for twenty minutes,
and I'll tell you what sort of a groom he has had. Look at this one,
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