 He was educated at Eton College, and was styled Lord Herbert until he succeeded to his father's earldom in 1749.He became a Lieutenant-General in the Army, later Colonel of the 1st Regiment of Dragoons.He became an authority on breaking cavalry horses and in 1755 built an indoor Riding School at Wilton House and commissioned 55 paintings of military riding exercises which now hang in the Large Smoking Room at Wilton.