Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1886-03-11
INTERESTING TO SPORTSMEN.
Can Rarnessed Running Horses Beat
Saddled Ones?

Sportsman.
III 1880 we organized a Roman
Chariot Racing company, and fulfill
ed quite a number of engagements,
and the following spring, 1881, We
gathered together eight horses that
could run a half mile under saddle,
weight up, in from So second to / :04,
and as the color, size, and general ap-
pearance, as we'll as speed, had TO be
considered, we found that we had
taken no small task. However, four
bay horses aad the same number of
gray ones were gotten together and
put into condition for a campaign
through the eastern country. We ex-
pected to be able to do half mile in
1905.
We were, happily, surprised to find
that we had run the first heat In Log,
and as the meeting progressed oar
horses steadily improved, their official
time being 581 seconds, both teams
passing under the were at the same
time. head and head, making almost
dead heat. Many thought that the
bay team could have gone faster, and
speculation was rife as to how fast
that team could run in four-in-hand
harness. Arrangements were made
for a public trial and pools sold, spec
ulators laying 2 to on 81 against the
team, and 100 to nothing on Sc. The
team started, pulling a 35O-pound
chariot, and a one hundred pound
man, and finished the first heat
half mile. in 56 seconds with the
greatest ease. None of these horses
had ever shown their ability to run a
mile so fast by several seconds under
saddle. We next appeared in Michi-
gan, where the teams scored dead
heat in Sc seconds, and no heat was
run slower than So seconds during
the meeting. The following week the
intelligent ones dropped few hum
dred, backing IS seconds against the
teams, the time being IS seconds. A
slo " track at Cincinnati prevented a
reduction Of the record, but at Pitts
burgh, the following week, on the oc-
casion of the great Maud SIS wonder
full, and at the same time unequaled
2:101 these teams actually ran half
mile as officially timed in 81 seconds.
At Chicago 541 seconds was the best
shown at the meeting. Passing them
over q period of three months, during
which these teams ran forty-nine
heats in SO seconds or better, and on
Nov. 10 at Columbia, S. c., they actu-
ally ran three-quarters of mile in
the remarkable time of minute and
81 seconds. When the fast time is
taken into consideration, that these
horses were only half-bred, and none
of them being able to go a half-mile
In less than So seconds, under the
saddle, it must be admitted that the
vast amount of speed shown and oh
tanned during this campaign must be
attributed to the way of going. The
weight being entirely removed from
the back accounts for the great rate Of
speed attained by these slow horses
Such has been our experience that
there is no doubt in our minds about
horse being able to run faster and
stay longer in harness than to saddle.
We are of the opinion that first
class horse-say racehorse that can
go rnile under saddle in 1 :43 or 1 "A
could as easily go over the same dis
lance with no greater effort in 1 40 or
better. We might go still further and
argue in support of this proposition
that by breaking thoroughhreds to
harness, giving them a great share of
this preparatory work in harness,
would not only save the legs of the
youngsters and cripples, but would
transfer their handling to the hands
of men of mature judgment and ex-
perience.
In the foregoing article we have en-
deayored to show that the speed of
runners has not. nor, in our opinion,
ever will be fully developed until the
breeder and trainer fully recognize the
Importance of harness work for thor
oughbreds.