The St. Charles herald. [volume] (Hahnville, La.) 1873-1993, 1885-10-24

1t seems that when horse is thirsty
it rattles against it's stall in a peculiar
manner. The stablemen understand
the signal and loosen the horse, which
goes out of the stable, has its drink,
and comes back to its own stall. 1t
is a remarkable fact that the horse
always drinks at the same tank in
which ne quenched his thirst on be-
ing admitted to the yard, and always
drinks from the same part of the
tank.
One of the stables conta'n ned eighty
stalls, forty on either side. When re-
turning from the tank, horse never
mistakes his own stall, though the
stalls are all built and fitted in ex-
aetly the same manner The old and
experienced horses, however, always
look into every empty stall VIII CHI
they may pass, in the chance of find
ing some provender in the manger.
One of these old horses was pointed |
out as beng of original character. He |
had for some years constituted HIM |
self an amateur policeman, never al |
lowing man, horse, or dog to enter the |
yard except upon business Ii a
stranger should walk in, and address
any Of the men, or if he should go
| straight to one of the many Offices, the
| horse would take no notice of him.
| But if strange man were to saunter
| into the yard. and lounge about with
no fixed object, the horse would fly
at him with open mouth, make all
the clatter he could, and drive away
| the intruder.
All the horses are of gigantic dimen-
sions. One xf them-not the largest
measured six feet and one inch in
height at the withers. They are never
put to work until theY are six years
old, and are carefully tested in every
way before admission. the resident
veterinary surgeon examining them as
closely as regimental surgeon tests
recruits.
The men look like race of Anakim,
and are selected and trained with the
greatest care.
The keepers of these great stables
seldom take q man who is more than
twenty. They pick up the finest and
strongest lads that can be found, pre-
ferring those who have not reached
their full growth, who have a good
character, and who give promise of flu
ture massiveness. as well as height. Ii
accepted, they are put into the yard as
'odd men," and are by degrees pro-
NOTED to general stable-work, then to
grooming the horses, and lastly to the
onerous task of draywork.
During the whole period of probation
} they are closely watched, and are
taught as much by example rs precept
, that gentle kindness is the ruling pow
er of the establishment. The very at
mosphere of the pace tells uncon-
sciously upon them, and they soon be-
gin to feel that a coarse or even a
rough expression would be out oil
; place..
In their preliminary duties of ''odd
men," they are Intentionally kept from
any personal contact with the horses.
But they have perpetually before them
! the examples of their seniors, and BY
: the time when they are allowed tc
sweep out a stable they have learned
that horses are never to be addressed
! except in gentle, caressing tones, ant
: that the least display of bad temper OF
> roughness will throw them back tt
s'odd men,, or forfeit their place alto
, gether.
) AS for striking or kicking a horse
/ such crime-for it is crime in tina
! then, new conner manages to concea
$ his native rufianism for time, bu
s sooner OF later it asserts itself
$ Bawling at horse is form of ruff
e fanism which is sternly and swift,
v punished. The delinquent is at one
reported at headquarters, for the mel
h are most Jealous OF the honor of thei
" order. The case is Investigated, and
J. the accusation should be proved, tn
n man is paid his wages up to the day,
given a weeks wages whercwith {
i keep himself for a time, and is con
e Quoted out of the gates, never again t
Ie enter them.
a Forgiveness is never accorded, NO
10 under any pretext will the man be a
,e lowed to take employment even of tn
" most mental kind, in that establish
t. ment. Such were the conditions Ill
le der which every man enters the serviC
of the firm, and he knows that the
8. will be rigidly enforced
Id may also add that the keepers
Ii these stables never permit their an
mails to be tortured and hampered |
nv the check-rein, which, independent
al its cruelty, depriyes the horse of
he power of exerting its full strength, al
he so prevents the owner from gettlr
.r- the full amount of work out OF the ar
it. NAL.
ID. Neither do they permit the use
en- binders Cor blinkers), which are nea
re. ly as absurd as the check-rein, thouI
IN they do not cause so much actual 81
ey fering to the animal.
m. There seems to be haZy sort OF id
n.y. that the binder is beneficial to t