The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1889-12-12
STEAM REARED COLTS.
Wonders OF Rich Californ,ans Equine
hot House.

Wonders OF u Rich C;alifornian's Eqrine
hot House.
"Why do these California bred horses
both trottcrs and runners, develop such
| tremendous speed at an early age, aud
then retire for the lest OF their lives?'
That is question that has been put to
| every horseman of note in the country,
but not one seems able to answer it. 4
gentleman, horse fancier and now and
then q buyer at the California sales.
being much interested in the phcnome-
nal trotters that come from that region,
went down to Palo Alto to acc the
famous breeding farm, and Of it he said
Palo Alto is about forty miles from San
Francisco in what is known as the Santa
Clara Valley. The horse part of the
estate comprises about three thousand
acres, though good many more acres
are in vines and forests and the private
grounds of the railroad baron's suramer
retreat.
Talk about princes and princesses Of
efete monarchies being reared in velvet
and fed from gold spoons; the nearest
approach to that in this great republic is
this equine principality at Palo Alto.
Dean Swift's celebrated Houybuhums
never had better time in their kingdom
than have the modern Houyhuhums of
the Stanford place.
AN IMMENSE ESTABLISHMENT.
AS soon as the babies have forgotten
their mothers comes the beginning Of
their life's work. The leading halter
and soft rubber bit kept in the mouth for
half an bour a day is the a BIC. Then
comes the kindergarten track to discover
if fany of them have natural gait Half
dozen are put into the saw dust circle at
once. a man stands in the middle with
long whip, which be waves furious!y,
but no little one is ever permitted to feel
its sting. All start around the ring, first
in q coltish canter, aud then some little
pupil more promising than the others
will strike trot. Soon another will do
the same. An apple or lump of sugar
is the reward of merit. Usually before
the class has finished all of them will be
jogging about on trot. Then new
batch is taken, and in few weeks forty
or fifty lillies and as many colts have
gone through the kindergarten course.
Meantime every little one Of either sez
is handled and fondled. The colts and
Gllies arc relentlessly parted ct weaning
time and never see each other again
except at distance. Co.educatiou Of
the sexes is frowned upon at Palo Alto.
The little ones are very tame and follow
one around like lot of kittens. If you
stop in the paddock they instantly sur.
round you like lot Of chattering school
girls and begin to search your pockets
with their velvety noses for bit Of fruit
or sugar. Not Que is ever scolded or
permitted to be frightened in auy way,
nor is the whip ever uaed except as
badge of authority.
When the infant aris!octacy is bride
trained and thoroughly tractable, say at
nine or ten months, and from that 10
year old, comes the first introduction to
harness. The colts are not quite 30
proud of this SIS boy with his 6rst pair
of boots, nor do the fillies seem to enjoy
it as much as the girl does her first long
dress. Indeed they are pretty "scary" at
frst aud require the presence aud expe.
rience of an old stager beside them at the
pole of the breaking cart. But their
tim;dity soon wears of, AMI it is aston.
ishing how fast they learn.
It must be remembered that by this
time these youngsters are 10 the non
critical eye almost full grown horses.
Their legs are strong, their bodies we'll
filled out, their necks plump, their eyes
bright and intelligent and their coats
shine like satin. all this is the result
of the forcing process. On the Stanford
farm the year,old colt looks like the
we'll matured horse of S in Illinois. At
II years old begins their hard work on
the track. 1t is then that the best and
most promising are selected for yearly
record.