Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1875-07-14

And centre there, are better than gold.
A HALF MILLION IN HORSES
MR.. ROBERT BoNNERs BREEDING AND TRAIN
ING FARM.
ONE TRACK IN THE WORLD ON WHICH
THERE CAN BE NO BETTING AT ALL
THE PEDIGREE OF SOME NOBLE ANIMALi
THAT COST THEIR oPULENT owNEI
FROM $4,000 TO $4,000 EACH.
The men who make up the sporting
world are growing accustomed to see
ing young horse step upon the rae
ing track, make wonderful time, beat
all the favorites of the season, give
promise Of an eventful future, and then
be quietly withdrawn by its owner, Ia
be sold to Robert Bonner, editor of the
N1o York Ledger The horse is then
usually dead to the betting fraternity,
for Mr.. Bonner never allows his horses
to race for money or moneys worth,
and scarcely y more frequently does he
sell one Of his favorites, and so permit
il to return TO the ranks of the pro
fessional racers. His purpose has been
to improve the breed of trotting horses,
and he seems to have been actuated as
much by desire to benefit individual
horses as to crafty himself by owning
and propagating the best samples Of
the best breeds. His feeter horses al
teinate in occupying his city stables,
and are seen only when driven by Mr..
Bonner himself through the Central
Park or along the road. When they
need rest they are sent out to the stock
and breeding farm in Tarrytown, and
there they are housed and cared for rs
they might be cared for if they were
human beings. Personally, Mr.. Bon.
ner has studiously applied himself to
acquiring veterinary skill, and to OBJ
tanning thorough theoretical as well
as practical knowledge of the organism
of the horse. Especially the anatomy
of the hoof and the diseases to which
it rs liable have attracted him, so that
hisown judgment concerning the course
of treatment for curing a sick, or i'm
proving well horse frequently over.
rides that OF his overseer and grooms.
THE Farm.
Mr.. Bonner's stock farm lies three
miles east of Tarrytown, on a plain
more than five hundred feet above the
level Of the Hudson. 1t can be reached
from the Tarrytown depot only by
rough drive over the stony hillside
which stretches all the way from the
river to the boundaries of the farm
The farm is devoted solely to the vast
interests the horses that are on it, most
of it lying in broad grazing pastures,
from which the stones that used to
cover the fields have been carefully
moved and piled in the shape of solid
fences to protect the paddocks. The
turf is as soft and as springy as that of
the praires, so that the horses can be
turned out shoeless, to gallop about
without danger of bruising their ten
der hoofs and an unstinted use of fer
tilizers has resulted in early and heavy
crops OF rich heritage,
In well-sheltcred part of the farm
are the commodious stables, large
enough to accommodate the eighty horses
owned by Mr.. Bonner; for sometimes
nearly all of them are in Tarrytown at
once. The stables are of wood, are
thoroughly warmed in winter, and
well lighted, dry and airy. The horses
are kept in handsome condition by the
grooms, and are fed regularly at six in
the morning, at noon, and about eight
in the evening. The average allow
ance of grain is about nine quarts daily,
though the quantity varies according
to the age of the horse and the amount
of work which il is called upon to per.
form. The extreme limit, though, sell
dom exceeds twelve quarts. Once n
week, on Saturday night, the country
horses are given feed of boiled oats
md bran, and twice a week the horses
stabbed in the city get similar diet.
THE TRACK.
Close by the stables is u threc-quar-
Ter mile track, enclosing ia acres of
ine pasture, andsurrounded by n strong
stone wall. In shape it is oblong. 1t
mas been carefully laid out, and graded
with the trucst and easiest of curves
md the greatest attainablc exactncss
n length. The bed of the track is
twenty-five feet wide, and although
,nly n year old, it is in excellent con-
lition, having been rendered firm and
lean by the use of suitable composts.
Here the young trotters are frequently
Exercised and carefully spccdcd. The
line is taken and recorded, and though
wo or more horses are usually driven
ide by side, to add all the Indictment
which racing lends to their efforts, tho
ra ok is for training alone, and betting
N results is strictly prohibited
While the reporter was on the farm
few mornings ago the brood mares
we're just turned out after few days
n the stable. Princess, brown mare,
oaled in 1916, and who has in times
'ast been on the track trotting for
'urse against Flora Temple, was leader,
f the troop. Although nearly thirty
ears old, and stiff and awkward, where /
he used to be free and surc-footed, she
tartcd on brisk canter over the green
elds. Following her were Lady Pal Z
ner, only six years younger than Prin.
css, and Nathalie, Zillah, Peerless, !
'anny Morse, and Lady Weller all
lore familiarity known a score OF years /
go than they are now. With them $
an dozen younger and equally valu- i
bic mares. In trip through the
tables were seen the many horses i
fhich Mr. Bonner has so zealously col.
,ctcd of late years. The appended O
authoritative list and pedigrccs will be
aluablc to all Interested in horse mat 4
ers; d
MIR. BoNNER's HORSES.
STALLIoNs--Edward Evert, b. g.,
oalcd 1855; got by Rysdyk's Hamil. v
oman dam, by imported Margravc. |
2. startle, b. s., foalcd May IA, 1867;