Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-10-13
AMONG THE TROTTERs.
Horse Talk from the Famous Blue Grass
Region of Kentucky.

General Withers' principal stable is a
kind of horse cathedral. This is by no
means common. Many a fine animal. al
most as much the pride and pet of its
owners family as if they We're of Arab
stock, is led out from but shabby quarters
The stables of the region are clean and
wholesome, but do not incline to fantastic
elegances of adOrnment such as are grow
ing in favor among ourselves in the North
ern cities. Here the light strikes down
upon us through cOlOred glass windows
the whole interior is faced up with hard
woods, and the floor of the principal aisle,
or Anaive. strew with soft straw for eX-
hibiting the PAGES of the animal upOn
could not be neater if it were that of a
drawing-roOm. The main dimension is
100 feet, and this is crossed by a transept
of 100. The stalls are toward sixteen
feet square. They have outer as well
as inner doors for egress in case of fire,
and these are never kept locked. Little
or no fancy iron work in the way of sta
bic fittings is used, wooden racks and
managers being preferred. Wide open
spaces over the partitions and transom
ventilatOrs carry off all OdOrs. The clean
hay is piled in mOws above, and the corn
and oats slide down by traps into con-
venient bins. Then there is II place for
sulkies and road wagons, a harness room
and harness mending room, and great
collection of the mysterious looking boots
and weights used in breaking in the trot-
ter. Near by little court yard is reserv-
ed as hospital, and in it stand a few
animals awaiting dOlefully the end of their
woes.
Il am no great believer in veterinary
dOctOrs,' says out host. ''They kill more
nrotect them from sudden evtt7Inoc,' ~ ..i9
weather, cd esivn but little meulcihe'
That is my system
Visitors sit comfortably in chairs in the
cathedral-like stable, and the horses are
brought out before them.
Each blue grass breeder of prominence
has his regularly printed catalogue of
stock, revised yearly, generally with a
wOOd-cut of the best stallion on the cover.
Some, as General Withers, insert the sell
ing prices, from which ''nO deviation is
advertised. In looking over such Il
catalogue, from $400 up 10 $1,000 are
found to be demanded tor the younger
animals, with prOpOrtiOnately more for
older ones than could be at once made
useful. But when horse has really en-
tered the ranks of the great ''hyers,'
| there is hardly any limit to his value.
One with record of 2:30 may be esti-
mated in IA general way worth
| $1,000. From 2:30 down to 2:2C
! 81 900 may be added for each successive
second. When we come into the teens
and near the head of the record. Juggling
with gold and diamonds is coarse Occu-
| patton in comparison. Mr.. Bonner is
said to have paid $685. 900 for Dexter anC
/ $780, 900 for Rarus, and Mr.. Vanderbilt $780,
! 600 for Maud :. But this last was before
| she had made her great time; now that she
| has made it, you are told cOntidentially
that person stands ready to draw his
| check willingly for $4,000 whenever he
can get horse that will lead her, anC
| give him the distinction of having thu
! fastest trotter in the world. But how
does 1t pay? Well, it pays first in stocl
raising; it pays next in the opportunity
/ to take purses and stakes afforded by tn,
| great system of racing circuits; and NJ
| doubt even those gentlemen who with
draw from racing, and do their driving il
private life, find it pay in a pleasure ant
| improved health from this kind of recrea
/ ton, eXtTayagant as it is, which the,
might not be able to procure SO well from
the expenditure of equal sums IN an,
! other direction.