The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-10-12
The LONG DISTANCE RIDE.
The Austrian Horses Better Cared For
Than Those OF Germany.


From the Ne,c York Sun.
BERLIN, Oct. 9.-The interest Of all Ber-
lin has conferred in the last eight DAYS at the
Tempe!hofer Field. This spot has presented
since Sunday the aspect Of an annual fair
ground. Officers Of the guards, diplomat
lists. society leaders, court officials, sporting
men and staid, solid traIesmen have
crowded TO it night aud day TO learn the
latest news from the long distance race.
A few German officers bet on Count Star
mem berg, aud as they got good odds they
won heavily. The vast majority, however,
De5 according TO their preiudices and LOST
immense sums. Sporting men here, who
from the first backed the Vienna riders
nave pronted greatly at the expense Of the
military and aristocracy.
The sacrifice Of good horsefesh has been
lamented by the bourgeoisie. and their
newspaper organs are asking: What good
did 1t dos" In fact it has done much good
from the German point OF view, and is
likely to lead TO some important innovations
! IN the German cavalry. The most impor-
tsnt result Of the race has been the demon
stration that the veterinary department. of
the German army is behind the times. The
1 majority or the Austrian horses were in
fairly good condition when they arrived.
! The majority of the German horses stag.
gered past the finish post in Floridsdorf,
ruined for further cavalry service or for
any service at all. The emperor feels
greatly chagrined by the evidence of the
superior veterinary skill of the Austrians
and has ordered that q special inquiry be
made by commission Of cavalrymen into
the Austrian methods of handling horses
and the defects OF the present German
methods.
Some German cavalrymen have tried to
excuse themselves by making much OF the
fact that the Germans had TO cover a billy
country at the enI of their ride, when the
horses were exhausted, while the Austrians
could cover the worst roads while their
horses were freshest. Generally, however,
the test is considered to have been as fair as
possible. Expert horssmen here agree
with the emperor that the conditions, even
| TO the qualities OF the horses, were equal,
and that the Austrians won through
superior knowledge Of the treatment Of
| horses.
An analysis OF the mounts shows this
view to be indisputable. or tho 100 Ger
man entries were English thoroughbreds
or hunter stock, IA were English half-breeds,
were Hungarian, aud was Russian. The
rest were bred Ia Germany, the most Of
them with strains Of English blood on the
side OF the sire or dam. Among the l2l
Austrian horses there was not single
thoroughbred, despite all reports to the
contrary. Eight of them had strains of
| SNSA AAhBllsA O4OJus II OEb1S6lklL were
bred in Austria Hungary, many by imported
English sires. One was by Cossack
| sire. Another, by an Arab sire out of an
| English Thoroughbred mare, was bred IN
| Russian Poland. One was a pure Arab.
Sixty were of unknown pedigree. II there
was any choice of mounts. it certainly did
not incline toward the Austrfans Another
point which Indicates the same lesson for
the Germans is given in Vienna dispatches
as regards the work OF Baron Reitzenstein,
| who made the best records OF all the Ger
mans, having covered the course in some
| thing over seventy-thrce hours aud come in
second 10 Count Starhemberg only. Reit-
zenstein's treatment o. his l2-yesr-old
| Llppsprlngs was III striking contrast
with the brutality and ignorance shown
| by the other los German riders toward
their mounts He rode an equal number on
hours day and night. He reJted for fifteen
minutes after every thirty miles, and two
hours after every 100 miles. During the
| long rests Ltppspringe was unsaddled,
rubbed down with wet cloths, and washed
in a special lotion. Twelve pounds of oats
and pease mixed were given him. A small
! dose OF tepid water with Carlsbad salts was
administered after eating TO facilitate diges-
| tion. During the Short rest the horse got
a small quantity of bay mixed with CArls-
bad salts and cake made Of oats, Indian
corn meal, and eggs, and dissolved with
-four in tepid water. Every twelve miles
moreover, the horses mouth and head were
| sponged with cold water Reitzenstein as
sisted IN feeding and spouging the horse
| and during the long pauses slept in the
stable by the horses side. After rest be
! walked beside the horse for the first half
hour, then mounted and rode at a smart
| tror for an hour and half or two hours,
gradually reducing the speed as he APP
| preached unfavorable ground In
the hilliest country Reitzenstein
| dismounted and ran along beside
the horse. He did not use spur or whip
once until within sixty miles of Vienna.
He had lost an hour and half in the fog. be
says, and felt compelled TO force the pace
somewhat. The first report of Lippspriuse's
condition at the Floridsdorf finish post is a
| gross exagyeration. The horse was dis~
tressed, but suffered from no radical
trouble, and to-day is about as we'll as ever.
! No pluckier horse was III the race certainly.
for, although one shoe was gone and
| another broken, he covered the last forty
| miles OF the course at the rate of 1917 miles
| an hour.
Lippspringe is an Irish hunter, aud
| formerly was a carriage horse in Client.
where Baron Reitzenstein bought him for
| 1920 marks. The baron broke him to the
saddle. That with such a modest east the
horse should have made such q creditable
record is due without doubt TO his masters
humanity and intelligence in veterinary
matters.
The most important result of the race will
be the spirit Of comradeshiD promoted by it
| among the best young cavalrymen Of both
| armies. There has been complete absence
of jealousy throughout the event, and the
Austrian officers have been treated with as
| sincere cordiality as could be desired by
them. On Monday evening the emperor
will receive the Austrian riders and will
speak to them formally. it is expected, of
the desirability OF promoting comradeship
between the officer, corns of the allied