The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1877-08-24

Their GreaI sGrengGh and
Endurance.
From the New York

From the New York Times. \
A novel and interesting exhibi-
ton of the Russian trotters at Fleet
wood Park was given by Lieuten-
ant Ismailof, Aug. 4th, to q select
assemblage of friends and patrons
of the turf. The handsome black
stations Lebed and Lebedenok
were harnessed to compact, bat
heavily built chaise with two seats,
and driven slowly over the track.
The horses were admirably groom
ed and in fine spirits, but they car
ried too much "beep to attempt G
high rate OF speed, 80 the driver was
forced to content. himself with one
or two turns around the track and
short spin In front Of the Club.
house steps. The distinguishing
features of the pair are their pow
erful limbs, prominent shoulders
and hips, uniform gait and great
staying powers. They are of me-
dunn size, q trifie over Is hands
high, with long flowing names and
tails, spirited action, and general
graceful appearance. In the Rus
sian horse the conspicuous quality
Is endurance rather than speed, al
though the best breeds Of the coun-
try are fast developing q pace equal
TO that OF the American turf. The
whole training of the Russian trot-
ter is for the purpose of developing
strength and endurance. At the
age OF three years he Is broken to
harness, and exercised in two mile
heats, repeated as often as four and
even six to eight times with short
intervals OF rest. The draught pow
or consists of a heavy collar entire
ly encircling the neck, with long
traces and cumbersome harness. In
one and three horse teams the pic
turesque dUgG, or yoke, surmounts
the shoulders Of the horse in the
center, which also holds up q pom
derous pair of deeply curved shafts
and quantity OF trappfngs, which
to the Impractical eye seem largely
'superfluOns. The extra weight
which is thus imposed on the shout
ders, added to the small wheels and
low body of the vehicle, has the eff
feet of developing the muscular
power and endurance of the ami
NAL to an enormous extent. The
chaise which was used on the 4th
weighed nearly 300. pounds, and
Notwithstanding this, the stations
bounded of with it with the great
est ease. Danilof, the driver, q
heavy, powerfully built Russian. in
long blue coat and cap with gold
band, sat on the box, and one of his
companions occupied the back seat,
the two forming 800 pounds of adj
ditional weight, which the trotters,
however, seemed to make light OF,
The present is the third appearance
of the pair since their long Transit
lantic voyage, and, making due al
lowance for this fact, the display
was highly creditable.
An hour or two later Daniloff
drove out on the track second
time, seated In light, graceful, low.
built four wheeled buggy, behind
dappled gray, which at once at
tracted general attention. This was
none other than Zoonok, the beauty
of the stud, q compact, long umbed,
and high stepping stallion, 151
hands high, and bred at Smolensko.
AS he moved gracefully of, bearing
the picturesque dWgG towering
above his shoulders, q murmur of
involuntary applause ran through
the assemblage. The horse soon
proved himself g rapid and easy
goer, and even under the disadvan-
tages of the Russian harness and
equipment showed unmistakable
signes of speed. He was allowed
to take his own time for a couple of
miles, and then put through a short
dash in front of the judges stand,
with gratifying results. Lieutenant
Ismaileff was highly complimented
upon Zoonok's appearance, and sew
eral offers were made by breeders
and others looking to the stations
permanent retention In this country
for breeding purposes. 1t is thought
that q crOfs between the Tartar-Ar-
rabian of the Russians aud the
swifter trotting horse of America
would produce a most valuable
combination of speed, form and en-
durance.