The Washington times., 1894-03-25
EMPEROR WILLIAMS
HORSE FARM.

The secret Of Trakehner's fame as horse
breeding place, according to our host, is the
fact that it is irrigated in every direction in
such a manner that the grass is rich and sweet
to an extraordinary extent. The soil, too, is
most favorable-deep and spongy. When it
was originally selected for this purpose it was
nothing better than vast swamp, over which
the moose roamed wild, and he still roams in
a circumscribed section of the Baltic shores
near the mouth Of the Memel river. The
father of Frederick the Great was capital
farmer, and had good eye for horses as
well. He converted this swamp into the
richest pasture land of Germany, where
even to-day one cannot dig two feet
without striking water. In winter the
meadows are flooded, and only the
most careful irrigation preserves them in
good condition for the balance of the year.
There are no fences anywhere upon the es-
tate, which stretches about nine miles in one
direction and three or four in the other, and
were the horses less docile than they are, it
would seem an easy thing for them to get lost
many times in the year.
Major Won Frankenburg (the superintend
ent) has an enormous admiration for this par
ticular horse, and as he goes to England every
year for the purpose of selecting thorough
breds, and has visited the stud-farms of near
ly every country in the world, it is fair to
conclude that his feelings are not the result of
bias.
But" said he, 81 insist on one indispensa-
BILE condition-our horse must not be used
until he is six years old. He must be allowed
to get his growth and seasoning before using.
We made a great mistake in 1870 in permit
ting many young horses, as young as four
years OF age, to como into the army. They
nearly all broke down, and in the long run
were n source of great loss to us-far beyond
their cost. With proper food and treatment.
however, will back him against any horse
know"
The major gave US mauy illustrations of
what the Trakehner has done in his expert
ence; not such rides as Austrian and German
officers performed in October OF 1892, but
work Of practical value. For instance. in the
campaign against France of 1870 and 1871 he
led his regiment OF hussars throughout the
months of January, February. and March
over a country covered with ice and snow ut
the ratio of thirty-ive English miles day.
At the same time the major was careful to
point out what United States cavalry officers
can appreciate more than those of any other
army, that these are not horses that can be
turned out to take care of themselves, like the
Indians mustang or the rough Cossack pony
Of the steppes.
All the young horses are carefully rubbed
clean and inspected every day. the brush and
currycomb being used in cleaning. During
this process the Young colts are tied, but
when three or four years old they stand
quietly enough and enjoy it. In order to in
sure docility on the part OF these animals 1t is
made rule that each day these colts are to
be stroked with the hand, their feet raised
in other words, treated i'll such way as to
make them familiar with their future masters.
1t would seem as though the rich succulent
grass produced by the pastures would be
enough food for these young animals, but the
major said they did better when they re-
ceived two portions of oats n day. once in
the morning and again at noon, but never at
night
One evening the major took US to see the
horses called home from the pasture. They
came in troops OF hundreds and gathered in
large Enclosures facing the stables, or rather
the large spaces in which they all spent the
night in common. in groups OF one hundred or
less. These paddocks were formed by plant
ing railway sleepers on end at short intervals.
connected by gas pipe-a very simple and
economical arrangement. Here the young
horses are exercised in the winter when 1t
would be unsuitable to let them out in the
snow. They go round and round ring un-
der the eye of the groom.
On the occasion of our visit l noticed that
the main body divided Itself according TO
color-the blacks going to one corner. the
browns to another. the bays TO a third; OF
whites or grays l saw no specimens. Here
and there would be one who had mistaken
his corner, or was seeking forbidden com
pany out of deviltry. The keeper had no
difficulty in bringing him to his right senses.
however. by simply calling his name and
waving his hand in the direction of the cor
ner to which he belonged. The colt thus adj
dressed invariably leaped out from the corner
in which he was an intruder and galloped
straight to the corner whose color matched
his. This we saw done many times over and
it never failed.-Poultney Bigelow in Har-
per'S