Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1875-07-01
Remarkable Instinct ola Race
Horse.

4kO1pSs
The following is one of the most re-
markable il stances on record of the in
stinct of a horse. Immediately after the
last days meeting Of the Maryland Jock,
ey Club, at Pimlico, this springs, Busi>
ness, Artist, George West and two or
three other broken>down racers we're put
up at auction by their owner, Mr.,
Joseph Donahue. As is generally the
case, however, no one wanted to pur.
chase them, and with the exception Of
jim Grow, none were sold. They were
taken back t. the stable, and on the
following day George West. the renowned
steeplechaser, was sent to the farm of
Captain Powers, in Baltimore county,
aud turned out on pasture with a number
of common work horses. Strange to say
however, the old racer, refuses to associate
with the common horses, and will not
even remain in the seme part of the field
with them except at certain hours.
Every morning and evening during a
racers training he is walked slowly
around in a small circle for an hour or so
These walking circles can be found near
the stable at every race-track, and they
are usually about one hundred feet in
diameter. On the first morning after
old George West was turned out of the
stable at Captain Powers farm, he waited
around the stable doors for some time
and ncighed as if impatient. The old
horse spent the entire first day walking
up and down in front of the stables. On
the following morning he was turned out
again, and after standing around the
stable some time he walked off to a dis.
tant corner Of the field. where he pro.
ceeded to walk around in a circle of about
fifty Of sixty yards. The walk was kept
up for al hour as steadily as he had ever
done it in his palmiest training days.
After exercizing about IN hour the old
horse left his walking ground and capered
aronud the field as if delighted. In the
evening it was noticed that shortly before
shutdown he threw up his head, and after
neighing once or twice, galloped around
the entire field seven or eight times. He
then suddenly stopped, and went to the
small circle used by him in the morning
and walked around it Regularly fol
about an hour. At the expiration Of thai
time he went to the stable. These ex'
e%rcises of walking and galloping have
been repeated regularly ever since, aud
Captain Powers states that. the tim,
George West begins exercising each da,
does not vary over a half hour. He wa
kept in the stable two days wi thout get
ting out, but when turned out on thu
third he at once began his walk and KEEP
it up as usual. The other horses in thu
field have followed his example, and nov
every morning and evening seven com
mon horses MAJ be seen moving reg
ularly around the small circle like
string Of races, headed by George West
The sight is o novel one, and hundred
of persons have visited the farm durinI
the past week to witness it. Beyond thu
walking, George West does not mix Will
the common herd at all, and takes hi
gallops entirely alone. George West j
now over six years old, but there i
probably no stceplechaser nov living i
this country that in his fourth and 6ftl
years won as many gallant races as h
has done.