Quote Of The Day – Winston Churchill
There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man.
Sir Winston Churchill
In 1951, Clementine Churchill wrote to an old friend, remarking on her husband's peculiar new interest:
"Have you seen about his horse Colonist II?....I do think this is a queer new facet in Winston's variegated life. Before he bought the horse (I can't think why) he had hardly been on a racecourse in his life. I must say I don't find it madly amusing."
Clementine could hardly have been more wrong. Before their marriage, Churchill had not only been on racecourses but had ridden round them, with some success.
As Chancellor of the Exchequer, he had presided over a revolutionary change in racecourse betting. And in the next thirteen years he would go on to become one of the most successful racehorse owners and breeders in England.
Horses were the greatest of my pleasures at Sandhurst. I and the group in which I moved spent all our money on hiring horses. We organised point to-points and even a steeplechase in the park of a friendly grandee, and bucketed gaily about the countryside.
Churchill was anxious to excel. "I should like nothing better than to win the cavalry prize", he told his mother. He duly took part in the competition, but failed to win--just:
"My dearest Father....The Riding Examination took place on Friday....all the cadets were examined who pass out this term - 127 in all. Then 15 were picked to compete together for the prize. I was one of those.... Well we rode - jumped with & without stirrups & without reins - hands behind back and various other tricks. Then 5 were weeded out leaving only ten of us. Then we went in the field & rode over the numerous fences several times - 6 more were weeded out leaving only 4 in. I was wild with excitement and rode I think better than I have ever done before but failed to win the prize by 1 mark being 2nd with 199 out of 200 marks. I am awfully pleased with the result ... I hope you will be pleased."
A few months later, in March 1895, Churchill experimented with steeple-chasing, and rashly told his mother about a slight misunderstanding with his horse: "The animal refused and swerved....Very nearly did he break my leg, but as it is I am only bruised and very stiff." Lady Randolph seems to have taken a poor view of her son's hazardous exploits.
In his letter of 15th March, Churchill tried to be reassuring: "I think - if you will let me say - that you take rather an extreme view of steeplechasing - when you call it at once 'idiotic' and 'fatal.' Everybody here rides one or other of their chargers in the different military Races which are constantly held. Of course for this year I cannot ride, but I hope to do so next year."
The unsuspecting Lady Randolph wasn't to know that just five days later her unregenerate son would be borrowing another subaltern's horse, and riding under the name of "Mr. Spencer" in the 4th Hussars Subalterns' Challenge Cup.
(excerpt .... read more )
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