The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1885-03-04
Fast Road Horses.

Floors of hard pine covered with
mating for the horses to walk on
Stalls commodious and neat as
tidy housewives kitchen. Running
water and shower haths for these
pets. and every ring in the place, OF
brass. Monograms are here and
there, at the head or sides OF the
stalls. and occasionally lions head
or some such fancy can be seen
Go back and YOU will find the
walking places" for the aristocratIc
dwellers therein. This in Mr.
Works stable is 100 feet long by %
feet wide. and in Mr.. Vanderbilt's
60 ieet by 40 feet. English paint
ings of horses and races Of great
value hang around the last named
"walking place" From these places
of exercise you can look through
glass roofs to the sky. The ventila-
tior. is perfect, and twelve-inch bars
and massive doors insure the safety
of the valuable stock from outside
intrusion.
Trusted employees remain with
the trotters day and night, and dis.
missal instantly follows neglect OF
this important duty. The clothing
of the crack trotter is rich and plen-
tiful, and forms no; the least inter
esting feature of the place.
"You may have valuable trotters,
but you will be disappointed IN
them if they are not kept in good
shape" remarked Dam Mace. They
must not be neglected, or evil fol-
lows. OF course, a horse in system
attic training is looked after closer
than those which are given brush
up the road daily; yet the latter
also demand constant attention. 1t
would be something almost criminal
! in my ewes If, through the neglect
of an attendant, one of my valn-
able horses should fall sick. To
show what is done to a horse IN
training, day bv dav, let me tell you
how | put horse in shape. When
the attendants first get up-say 1--WE
O'Clock they give the horses a
swallow or two of water. Shortly
after, breakfast, of two or three
quarts of oats, is furnished. The
stalls are then cleaned out. This
done, the ewes, nose and mouth are
sponged out. Rubbing dry follows,
when they are hlanketed and taken
out for a gentle walk of half an
hour or so, during which nibbling
grass for ten minutes is allowed
The walk over. the horses 90 back
to the stable, when their feet are
thoroughly washed ont, the animals
cleaned off and honestly rubbed
down. This done and they are fit
for their morning work, whether a
Jog or to be speeded-that is left to
to the trainer. Once more returned
TO the stable, they are blanketed,
sweated ont and scraped out. The
scraping and rubbing the water out
of them finished. they are covered
with lighter blanket, and then
walked to blow out or become rest
ed. Brought back to quarters they
are once more rubbed down, and an
hour or so later they are escorted TO
the tubs, where their legs are soaked
in water and rubbed dry. Then
their legs are rubbed with rum and
done up with bandages. Oats, hay
and water are then given them, their
beds made and they are locked up
for rest.
"Four hours later they are again
fed, then walked once more, during
which they can nibble a little more
grass, and then they are taken back
to the stalls and not again disturbed
for the day. The fourth meal is at
9P.M. Some horses are exceeding
ly delicate, and these want feeding
lsix times a day. This is a good
deal to do for horse, but when be
is training, and you expect him to
trot a real good and, probably, q
trying race, it must all be done hon
estly and faithfully, or on the day
of trial you will be left out in the
cold.
, "Of course, for ordinary road pur-
poses, the attention and regimen
noted may oot be wholly necessary
but then the treatment and care
must be nearly up TO that mention
ed. And just here, may say, that
because of neglect many horses
grow stale and prove a disappoint.
ment to owners. Having expended
great deal of money for fast
horse and then to have him beaten
by some scrub, because of lack OF
r condition, is very CALLING, and own
ers are justified in keeping rods in
pickle for the men who are respon'
: sible for such a state of things
/ Good men employed to take charge
of trotters, can always obtain big
wages, but oftentimes an excellent
fellow will lose his job through care
lessness. And the verdict is gener-
ally, Served him ght.'-Ne'C Yori
Herald.