Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1873-12-01
SOME HORSE TALK.
The Excessive Training Of Young

fats
Daring the past few years n great interest
has developed itself in horse Il ssh; an interest
that is uide-pread throughout the country aud
which even in our own State has assumed con
sd.rable Importance The horse is the one
great object OF the breeders attention; aud not
wlthsts nding the fact that a fancy COW, may
mi-occasionally, be sold for $4,000, il is with
out doubt true that among American breeders
mpre attention is now given 70 the breeding Of
her es than TO any other class of farm stock. IL
l. well that so important a matter, matter OF
such national concern as the good character of
our horse stock, should receive 80 much atten-
ton from men who have made breeding a spe-
eial study and object Of thought for long series
Of years-but IL may perhaps be questioned,
whether toe much attention is not being given
t. the breeding and training of horses for speed
alone. while other very desirable and i'm portant
qualities are being neglected; but or this we
may have something TO say another time. The
additional interest that has be sn developed in
horse-raising and training in our own States Is
manifested in the large number Of :. very
promising colts" now being brought to notice in
all parts of Maine, chiefly through mention in
the papers, and reports of our numerous county
and local fairs where such colts have been ex-
hibited. These good colts represent higher
appreciation of correct breeding. better atten-
ton and care, kindly treatment, and a growing
love for the horse which are all praise worthy
and cOmmendable-for it any class of farm
stock has been neglected and left to shift for
Themselves, aforetime, ii has been the young
colts as "twitched up by the commonaity OF
our farmers. So far then, as a better under
standing of animal physiology and of the cOndi-
ton and needs of the young colt tends 10 his re-
ceiying better care ana more rational treatment
from his keeper, in such degree is the greater
int1rest in horse breeding and training bene-
tit to the young colt. The interest in horses, so
largely developed at the present time, also
causes the young colt TO be better cared for, to
have good stimulating food. 70 be early han
died, better and accustomed to the bride and
reins, at an age when he may be easily kept
under control, and by other means to be rem
dered more "valuable" and "promising' as
the terms are. But when the Over-interest in
horses goes beyond this, and manifesis itself in
undue forcing, it becomes positive injury and
should be discountenanced by every humane
person.
There is no law of the animal economy more
apparent than that the period of youth Is the
proper period for development, growth, and
fitting for the service required in after years.
And in the horse greater Importance in this
respect can attach to no part OF his organism,
than to the organs of locomotion A horse OFF
his feet is good for nothing; and to have four
good sound feet and legs under him, is one of
the grandest qualifications in the valuation of
this animal. The highest authorities on the
anatomy and physiology of the horse unite in
pronouncing the first three years of his life as
of the utmost Importance in giving him that
development of muscle, sinew and tendon, 80
necessary to his after soundness, endurance
and value. For the purpose of accomplishing
this, the colt should have absolute rest during
the first three years of his life, always excep,-
ing that gentle and necessary exercise, always
conductive to healthy condition. There should
be no forcing, no undue straining exertion
The laws controlling growth and decay within
the animal and vegetable Kingdoms are immu
table, and in proportion as maturity or devel-
Opemnt is fastened, in that proportion will
early decay or loss of vigor result In the direct
application of this law to horses, Stonhenge the
great English authority says: eff the breeder
has his attention drawn to the production
of colts which shall at two years of age be
formed like old horses, and be fit to compete
with them for short distances it will always
result that be attains his end at a considerable
sacrifice of durability, as evinced in the dmin-
isbod strength of constitution, and the feeble
and yielding nature of the organs of locomotion.
Such course will tend to the production of I'M
sound and soft constituted animals, and il can
not occasion surprise If the percentage OF lame
ness or other Intrmty is greatly increased. -
we could quote column from this and other
writers, treating of the evil consequences Of the
too early training OF young colts, but 1t is who'll
ly unnecessary so self evident is the fact.
, 1t is getting to be fashion to trot two and
three-year-old colts on the course, previous To
which, in many instances, they are obi ged TO
submit TO the most severe, exacting and inhu-
man training. case in point occurred at the
recent meeting of the kentucky Horse Breed
ers' Association, at Lexington where three year
ODDS that had never beaten $50 were trotted
mile heats. Tn summary of this race is given
IN the turf journals, and in some the
Spirit OF the Times especially, the prac-
tice receives Just and severe discountenance.
In that race Treacy's Alley-the product of Al
mont by Alexander's Abdailah-trotted In
2JG4. The track was very heavy, 1.-THE mud six
or eight inches deep and this colt not only
wore front shoes weighing two pounds each,
each, making eight pounds of extra weight on
his front feet-and this for a colt only three
years old! On the third heat he was forced to
make the first half mile In 1:17s1, but reached
the home stand, tired and exhausted. Is such
thing to be countenanced in a civiliZed-a
christian country? In the name OF humanity
we protest against such cruelty to the most no.
bic race Of animals the Creator ever gave to be
the servant of man.
But is anything gained by this treatment?
On the contrary is not much lost every way?
The constitution of the colt If N tert 10 hrn-
ken is 80 impaired that he is of little value after
wards. We venture the assertion that Treacy's
performance of Oct. 2jd when three years old
Early forcing for the purpose of accomplishing
unheard of feats IN two or three year old colt,
Is invariably followed by correspondingly
early decay. Nature will surely revenge such
treatment, and the early breaking up of the an-
imsl vigor certainly follows. From the same ar
gument it may be set down as clear that horse
kept at service IN the stud, should never be
trotted; nor On the other hand should a horse
trained for the cOu rse be expected to excel as
breeder, or getter of trotters. The animal
vigor, II exhausted in one direction cannot be
expected to show great results in another direc-
ton. We could produce many instances in
support OF this statement. Rysdyk's Hamble-
tonian. the great getter Of famous horses, never
Totted public race. One of the best Of his
get, Alexander's Abdallab, was got by him
when two years old. Stations that have after
removed from the turf to the stud with the hone
of getting trotters, have generally disappointed
the expectations OF their owners in this re-
sIect. Horses kept in the stud exclusively,
have almost invariably been the best getters of
tIotters and on the other hand young stations
whose energies have been exhausted in II aiming
and on the turf, when after having shown re-
markable time and placed in the stud have not
generally produced colts that were fast. As
general rule-something of course depends
upon the breed OF horses, as an early or late ma.
turing breed-we feel safe in saving that no
colt should be trained for the turf before five or
elk years of age. The time before this should
be given to perfecting the animal organism,
ductive to health and vigor.--Naine Farn.r.
"a SAD, Fatal AFFAIR" IN MIssoURI-A
sad, fatal affair occurred at the school house In
sub district No. 9. 80, II, on yesterday after
noon. From the best Information we can get
1t appears that on yesterday morning diff
Guilty OF some kind arose between a large
scholar, young woman, and the teacher, who
II rather q delicate young lady. The scholar,
IL seems took the teacher by the hal of the head
and dragged her OYcr the hinches A xonnr