The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-06-25
LIFE IN RACING STABLES.
How a thoroughbred Is Handled
From Infancy Until at
His Best
Things Of Which tho Average
Spectator at a Race Is
Ignorant.
incessant Work of Trainer and stable
Eoys-Horses Arc Very Much Like
Human Beings.

stand, there is a prancing ana dancing OF
many hoofs: a flash of red falls through the
air; a rush and a skurry comes, in which
the Jockeys gay colors blend and intermin-
Gle: a hum runs through the stand and poo
pie rise to their feet; on around the turn
comes the flying field with laSgards already
hidden in a yellow dust cloud; into the
straight run for home they wheel and for n
furlong men without glasses can no longer
tell who is in the lead; then it is seen that
the battle lies between three; as they come
with every muscle straining, and out
stretched necks swaying up and down In
unison with the hands of the jockeys who
are bending far over them. one falls slowly
back in spite of the swish" of the whip on
his TANKS; the other two come side by side,
but there Is just one little link left in one
of them and az it 10 urged out he passed
winner under the wire.
That is all q horse race means to most
people. They know the horses undergo
something mysterious called preparation,
but Just what it is or what the life is that
the horse, his trainer, and his attendants
lead, says the Louisville Courier-Journal,
they know nothing.
It is a queer one. taking it from the days
when the grand old mares of royal lineage
stand in the pasture of some famous stock
farm, contentedly watching their shaggy
little offspring romping about on uncertain
legs. Cared for like pstted children, the
sueklings pass a happy year, developing in
to strength and symmetry with every day
that passes. At last the warm days of May
and June come around, and the youngsters,
with their shabby coats lonr since rubbed
into smoothness, and their dispreportionato
length of limb outgrown, are led into an
inclosure for the inspection Of shrewd
turfm0n from every section OF
the United States. Unused TO
such m assemblage, the colt needs the stout
hand at his halter badly, for strange hands
and eyes leave not a square inch of his bay
or chestnut coat unnoticed. Legs and feet
are looked to first, for unless both are SOUND
he will never stand the hard work ahead OF
him. II they are good. If his chest ia broad.
his back short. his quarters stout and a host
of other details satisfactory. there will be
lively bidding for him. always provided
that in the printed catalogue there runs be-
low his name 6 list of sires and dams that
shows concentrated in him the strains of
blood possessed by great horses in the past.
That ''blood will tell'' is the aristocratic
doctrine held by every horseman, and If the
colt can show close kindred to famous per
formers his price Is apt to run into the
thousands. Great hopes will, of course, be
often disappointed. Runts and cast-ohs
often make fortunes for the shrewd men
who buy them for a few hundred dollars.
The rules for buying yearllngs hold Good,
nevertheless.
After the sale the colts pass into the
hands of their new owners and their mis-
sion in life begins. In July they are bro
ken, and through summeT are given gentle
exercise. At first = little canter of a hun
dred yards or go is all they ara asked to do
AS strength and confidence increases the
distance is heightened, until when autumn
comes they are ready for their first tiial
which is usually given in October, will
two-year-old weight up, at distance rang
ing from a quarter of a mile to three fur
longs, never over a half a mile. All thiI
time the trainer has watched his colts close,
thar his older horses, and his stable boy!
even closer than his colts. A young hors'
ia like a child. The treatment given hin
leaves Impressions that are inefFacsabie
This is true of both physical and menta
qualities. A stupid stable boy can make
rogue of almost any colt, and carelessne
may give him an injury. especially abou
the legs, from which he will never recover
After October comes a season of rest TO
all horses, save those who are forced to rae
at this wretched winter ira cks. detested b.
all true turfmen: In January work begin
once more, and goes steadily on. Then
again, the trainer must be ~tireless in nj
care. The thoroughbred horse is like
delicate machine in which the breaking o
a single tiny cog will stop the whole. Poun
by pound the surplus flesh must be worke
away, day by day the relaxed muscles mus
DO hardened and increased i'll size. Whe
the horse Is not eating OF sleeping he
being walked, gallopad or rubbed. Not tn
least important is the latter, for the mas
sage treatment. now the fashionable fad,
nearly an adaptation to humanity of
medical truth in practice in every stabl
since races have been run.
ESoen. too, the fact deyelopes that horse
differ IN their nature as we'll as men. SUI
pose at the yearling sale, four colts we
purchased. One will probably be an III
lucky fellow. The other colts may do wei
but there will be q vast difference in Their
One will DO a big gross fellow, with an al
petite that makes him eat his bedding wht
all his oats are gona His work will
hard and plentiful. Weight will be pile
or him, the distance and frequency of b
trials increased. Another colt will be ne
vous and high-strung: fast and courageou
but a light feeder and fretful on the trac
A very few weeks will suffice to put him
edge, and his treatment is exactly oposi
TO that givsn the other. Every PECULIAR
of every horse must be studied and accor
ing to them he must be handled.
The days pass by and as the racing Sc
son approaches the lite of the racing stat
grows in interest. Before dawn the train
is up and dilatory attendants are admo
ished in language that only q steambe
mate could rival. In every box stall
racer is reused. A hasty rub is given hi
and perhaps a handful of oats, and he
walked over to the track. About half t
string is usually taken out 1t a time. T
trainer, with watch in hand, then issr
his orders sharply to the boys. Take IL
brown colt around slow to the hve-eight
polls and then breeze him to the thrt
quarters pretty strong" he tells one.
another, you keep that horse going ct
till you hit the half, and then send hin
mile in about fifty, and if you let him
away fof q mile and u quarter
fast, like you did the other d,
PHI break your black back Ea
one gets his orders, one to start
trial ut one place and one at another,
that outsiders have to have quick eyes
watch the many horses on the track q
catch any one just at tho point where
breaks from a trot or canter into arei
speed. When a horse has had enough ex
else the trainer waves the boy In. If
blankets have been left on him. az Il
SO metimea are when no very fast work
expected, they ave quickly stripped az
and drying ont" begins. From head
heel he is rubbed briskiy with towels VI
he is in a glow, kicking playfully all
while. A dipping sponge is forced into
mouth, the cool moisture being grateful
his tongue and throat. His legs are was
down carefully. rubbed and swathed in
tightly wrapped flannel b%andages. Blal
eted once more, he is walked about u
fully rested, and then taken over to the sta
There he il again stripped and rubbed i
way that only a practical hand can do.
strong, firm and brisk ia the motion of
rubber's hands that the akin shines like