Paget comments that the subject and Mr. Smith were very keen sportsmen. "...except for David Baird, very few attempted to go strait (sic.). The fences were higher then, and no caps were worn, and both of them would have their clothes torn off their backs, and their flesh from their faces, rather than not go every inch of the way with hounds. As Tom Heycock used to observe Sir David, 'If he did get a fall, and you thought he was out of the run, he would always pop up by your side.'" (op. cit., G. Paget, p. 82)