Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1868-01-15

FAMOUS HORSES, AND HOW THEY ARE CARED
Il is said that every man has foible, a
hobby, as it is commonly called, and that to
know a man thoroughly you must see him in
his humor; in other words, look at him
mounted upon his bobby. 1t was not, how
ever, with any such inquisitorial intentions
that the writer of this, recently paid visit
to the stables and horses of Mr.. Robert
Bonner, but simply to crafty his own curl
osity. and, possibly, that of some of the read
ers of the EUening Post who love horses.
THE STABLES.
The main stable, which contains within its
walls six almost priceless horses-the fastest
trotters, probably, at this moment, in the
whole worlds unpretending building,
oppressed brick externally, standing in small
courtyard on West Twenty-seventh street,
between Ninth and Tenth avenues. Within,
this building is divided into wagon-house and
stable, harness room, hay and grain lofts.
The wagon room is also used as the wash room
one side of it being paved with fagstones,
graded to drain properly, and furnished with
the necessary water apparatus, thus enabling
the groom to cleanse the vehicles under shell
ter. and also ecOnomising space.
The stable proper, opening by broad
archway from the wagon room, IS divided
by a passage-way about six feet broad, on one
side Of which are four roomy stalls, and upon
the other two large " loose boxes each about
twelve feet square. These " boxes :" are en-
closed with solid wooden walls six or eight
feet high, and separated from each other by
a similar partition.
The floors of the stalls are made of Georgia
pine, up to the point occupied by the fore
feet of the horses the remaining portion is
well pounded dirt, which is thought softer and
more wholesome for the horse to rest upon
with his front feet. The floors of the boxes
are also of Georgia pine, over which is placed
a LAYER of narrow plank, set slightly apart
to facilitate drainage and give an elastic sur
face Both stalls and boxes are, when in use
kept beautifully strewn with fresh straw
The drainage is taken through CRATE fixed
in the centre of the stall or box, through
which the fluids run off under the stable to
to the street sewer.
HOW THE HORSES ARE FED.
There are no racks in these enclosures, the
horses eating their grain from simple box
or trough set in one corner, and picking NJ
their hay from the ground in front of them,
where it is thrown. Mr. Bonner thinks that
nature placed the horse food at his feet, and
he means to follow nature as far as he can
Another simple continuance is a long wooden
roller inserted horizontally into the partitions
between the stalls. Horses are fond of rub
bling themselves against partitions. and fire.
auently rub off their hair and lure their
coats When Mr.. Bonner's horses rub them
selves, these rollers turn as they rub. and SC
there is no friction.
Behind the main stable is another building
containing three :" boxes" similar to the two
in the front building.
There is no attempt at display or ornament
in any mart of this establishment; everything
is plain, solid, and for use and comfort.
Finally, around the main building is sof
dirt path, upon which the horses are regular
ly exercised every day at a walk, by boy
whose express and only duty is to ride then
carefully in this ever recurring round. Spite
of this monotonous occupation, the boy seems
healthy and cheerful. Besides this youth
there are three men employed in the stables
one of whom is specially devoted to thu
famous Dexter"
THE HORSES.
Lantern, Peerless, Flatbush Mare, Lad,
Palmer, Pocahontas. The Auburn horse, Dex
ter-what a tale of wondrous and unrivallet
speed does each of these names unfold to thu
mind of the sporting man, eliminating in thu
"2:l7 Ia of Dexter.
Let us take them in the order obove written
and give few words of description to each
Lantern, then. is a bay, with a long tail
standing about sixteen hands high; not re
Variable for beauty Of form, but rather $,
for muscular developement- His head
though somewhat long, is well shaped, ant
his s1sg clear and mild. His hind feet ar,
vbite for some distance above the fetlOck
and he has white streak on his face. Ian