Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-02-22
thought that II will take years to restock
the State with as many birds as there we're
laaf fan
GAN RUNNING HORSES BEAT
SADDLED ONES?
Experiments that Tend to Prove it-A
Pointer for Trainers.

From, The SportsmGa.
In 1880 we organized a Roman chariot
racing company, and fulfilled quite a
number OF engagements; and the follow,
ing spring, 1881, we gathered together
eight horses that could run a half mile
under saddle, with weight up, In from sc
sec. TO ! ;04, and as the color. size aud
general appearance, as we'll as speed, had
to be considered, we found that we had
taken no small task. However, four BAY
horses and the same number of gray ones
were gotten together and put into condi.
country. We expected to be able TO do a
half mile in 1:06.
We were, happily, surprised to find
that We had run the first heat in :02, and
as the meeting progressed our horses
steadily improved, their official time be.
ing 6SI6 seconds, both teams passing ua-
der the wire at the same time, head and
head, making almost dead heat. Many
thought that the bay team could have gone
faster, and speculation was rite as to how
fast that team could run in fOur-in-hand
harness. Arrangements were made for
public trial and pools sold, spectators
laying to ON 81 against the team, and
100 to nothing on SO. The team started,
pulling 350-pOund chariot and a 100
pound man, and finished the heat, half
mile, in 55l1 seconds with the greatest
ease. None of these horses had ever
shown their ability TO run half mile so
fast by several seconds under saddle. " g
next appeared in Michigan, where the
teams scored dead heat In 56 seconds,
and no heat was run slower than So sec
onds during the meeting. The following
week the intelligent ones dropped few
hundred, backing 5S seconds against the
teams, the time beiug So seconds. A slow
track at Cincinnati prevented a reduc-
ton of the record, but at Pittsburk tho
following week, on the occasion. OF the
great Maud SIS, wonderful, and at that
time unequaled 2;l0E, these teams actu-
ally ran 2 half mile. as officially timed, in
"a seconds.
At Chicago $40 seconds was the best
shown at the meeting. Ptssiug' them
over period OF three months, during
which time these teams ran forty mine
heats in % seconds or better, and on Nov.
10, at Columbia, 5. C., they actually ran
three-quarIers of q mile IN the remarKa-
BILE time of | min. 21s. When the
fast time Is taken into considera-
tiun, that these horses were only hall
bred, and none OF them being able to go a
half NJ lie in less than 81 seconds under
the saddle, it must be ad nltted that the
vast amount OF bp6Su ouOWn anu ODJalu-
ed during this long campaign must be at
tri0uted TO the way OF goiag. The weigh
beng entirely removed from the back ac-
counts for the great rate ofspeed 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 a first-class
hOrse-say a race-horse that can go mile
under saddle IN :43 or :44--cOuld as ca
silly 90 over the same distance with no
greater effort in 40 or better. We might
90 still further and argue in support Of
this proposition. that by breaking thor
ough breds TO harness, giving them great
share Of this preparatory work in harness
would not only save the legs OF the young.
sters and cripples, but would transfer
their handling TO the hands OF men of ma.
ture Judgment and experience. In the
foregoing article we have endeavored Il
show that the speed OF the runner has not
nor, in our opinion, never viii be fully de
veloped until the breeder and trainer fully
recognize the Importance OF harness worl
for thOIOughbreds.