The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-10-13
AIR-PADDHD sADDLES.
An Invention that May Admit of Raising
The Wc.ghA.

|
the Weigh.
Principles of pneumatics applied to the
present system OF running races appear
at first blush so visionary that the in
| clination is to pronounce the plan abb
surd. Yet such a thing is not only pos-
sible but has been tired in a race and
the test has yielded such results that
revolution is promised in the regula-
lions of the running game. The nedilm
| through which this Cnange Is promised
| is pneumatic saddle. Mention of the
! invention and its results in a race at
hawthorne on september Stn was made
| in the Chicago Herald, OF the next two
/ issues which describe the scneme at
| length as follows: So important is the
matter that a more extended descrip-
! ton Of the saddle seems warranted al
! though 1t is exceedingly simple. Toe
| pneumatic saddle looks like the ordinary
racing saddle. Inspection shows it to be
a PAD which can be filled with air
through a tube beneath the skirt, in the
same manner as the pneumatic tire is
supplied with air, and its principle Is
the same as that of the bicycle tire.
The saddle weighs three pounds. When
In use It relieves the horse OF the inn
peding dead weight he has to contend
with under the ordinary saddle.
The race horse when in action Is re-
tarded by the movement up and Gown
of the rider and there is a certain fric-
ton along his back through this move
ment of the jockey, whether the latter
rests Ills WEIGHT WHOLLY III tIe StlTFUDg
or in the saddles seat. The difference
TO the horse in the use Of the pneumatic |
saddle is estimated at from II to Is per |
cent, A test made upon scale served |
racing saddle placed upon il from a |
heghth OF six inches registered 1lS !
pounds. The same weight dropped from
the same distance upon the pneumatic
saddle registered l02 pounds But a bet.
ter test of the invention was in the
seven iurlong race at Hawthorne en- Sat
urday. Pop Gray, famous for his sprint
ing qualities, and Wahatchie. known 10
piater were among n entries ma
sPrlhter far outcassed the platter and |
was considered so sure of the race thar
ne was backed down to l TO .
further, Pop Gray had the better
Jockey up, carried l06 pounds 10 the lat
ters liz, although pounds the better
morse at even weights The manner i'm
Which Wahatchie beat Pop Gray in the
Inscribed in the Herald" account yes
tterday morning and the ease with which
the platter drew away from the superior
morse IN a hard drive was the great
surprise of the day to the spectators
Lhder the present system Of weights
many OF the tirst-class Jockeys are de- =
barred through inability to make r.
weight. In consequence owners are com M
'elled to give mounts to younger. less n
experienced and physically weaker jock m
'ys or stable lads There has long been III
sentiment and a growing one. in favor n
y raising the scale. The pneumatic NJ
addie promises to be the medium III
through which this change shall be u
rought about, Though If the scale of q
,eisnts can be increased ten pounds "
M still relieve the horse Of many vi
ounds less than he carries under the "
resent regulations. For instance. III
orse that under the scale must carry "
: pounds. would. under the raised scale III
2 imposted ~ pounds With the ordi- | II
airy. saddle this would anchor many | VI
)eedy animals. With n pneumatic sad "
e. ana Its consequent reduction i'm the vi
ad weight impedment the same horse ~
)uId be carrying what would be to III
IN under the present system Of weights | n
:, pounds These figures are the ca,cu- III
ions Of those who are enthusiastic ~
d who have watched the experiments VI
IN the pneumatic saddle from the III
ne It was being prepared for use upon III
;r,I RICE in the Brooklyn Handicap. II
me rplntOn OF conservative racing III
N is that the pneumatic saddle Is HI
'tned to work a great change In the III
sent regulations through its saving Ef=
the morse OF the conclusion that now
JGaeS his progress in hard race. -
ed Foster has been experimenting | E--
weeks at the Harlem track with the z y
4 saddle. which IS the invention of n
liz y. Metcalf, of this city. In this .
,necuon story Of the way it came <,
Fosters knowledge may be Of interest H
was a few weeks before the great l.
'okiyn Handicap that a Chicago man (.
!
and his visitor were stretched upon ! L ,
grass and were talking Of Dr. Rice's z :
noes IN the great race soon TO be run. b. ,
weight the Doctor was to carry was T. /.
tioned. X :
can arrange it so that instead of y
the Doctor will in effect only carry = -
ty-eight pounds" the Chicago man t-s-&
ared --
light do it by cutting off one OF r---
ais legs Foster sarcasucally re- y
10, it can be done. and legitimatclv." ~
cure dafty" Foster sad. looking +
iciOusly and critically at his friend g. 1
e pneumatic saddle was explained Z
er sprang to his feet. The very | /.
g. he exclaimed: "Tll have Taral b
in the morning" He did so. and =
saddle was tried. As then con- + G.
ted the invention had small piece p, OF
n at the base OF the pad now re- n q
,d by piece Of steel. The day be- (. Ia
the great race 1t was tried on sui e..s,
, with Hueston up. The piece OF
ut through the pad. burst the pneu-
e arrangement. and the saddle was tr.vI
used upon the Doctor in the handi- =
n later improvement in the pueI- h
Q saddle IS an aluminium belt which 81
IS directly over the pommel This =
contains number Of pockets sins I.
D those In cartridge belt. As mer- ~
Is the heaviest Of known substances =
its bulk, IL Is intended 70 make q
It with mercury cartridges, each of | & 10
] viii weigh one pound and ut into | - in
'elt as do cartridges i'm the belt Of | = d q,
nllitiaman. 1t IS expected that the n 1"
# the pneumatic saddle will result u
70 Jockey Club and turf congress e4.xf.
Z cOgnlzance Of the matter and -
a "a FI.a-a Ifersff fftV11