Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-10-02

into the hands OF the trainer In much
better shape 10 handle himself than year
lings raised In England, where the pad
docks are frequently 80 small mat thc
colt no sooner gets extended IN his play
before ne has 90 stop himself TO Keep
from running into the fence 40 that
while the American-bred yearling u
asked TO do I'm September and October
what tho Briton Is only called upon Tor
in February. when II Is fully years old.
vet there IL not much 20 choose, as the
American bred youngster IL certainly
more prococious and more OF race-horse
OF It's own making al an earlier date
than the English-bred one.
In stable methods there Is difference
but unquostionably in favor OF the Ameri-
can plan. After the morning exercise over
there nothing is done save 10 change the
clothing and toss over the bed. With US
the entire string does nice. quiet Walking
exercise for over an hour: this gives the
animals change OF air. vontilates the boxes,
airs the bedding. and generally freshens
up the horse IL is strange that the
value OF this system has never been re-
cogni2cd over there. Here we iced three
times. over there four times a day.
Seithcr are horses cooled out and rubbed
down on the training-groTnds as they are
here: bat are taken at once 10 the stabi"
whore they so through very elaborate
embarrassing a horse, as IL is called
IN many cases pounding and humping the
horse with wisp OF straw. which Is
great thing 10 put n polish on the brute's
coat. but too frequently with thin-skinned
and nervous horses, renders them Veri-
table savaCes.
Perhaps the greatest difference IS In the
final preparation for racing; over there
everything Is done with trial-hOrse over
certain distances and with an adjustment
Of the weights. they get their trial-horse
ready as soon as possible and send 1t OF
10 the early races 10 ascertain II II re-
tains an last seasons form; then they
are ready 10 try the entire string; WIN
rs Il is simply the time test: II a colt
works mile with his weight up in l.43
it ought 10 take that or faster TO beat
him We frequently see horses, however,
which work one way and race another.
This IS the wrong kind 10 own. Another
great difference IS that the American
trainer always gallops his horses just
before the race and sweats him out
hit: an English trainer would as soon
hang himself 4 reaction has set IN,
however. and the American trainer does
not pursue such extreme methods as
formerly obtained IN the craft.
FAMILY TRAITS.
independent OF the fact that each horse
has his family traits. others acquire some
bad habits that are almost impossible 10
eradicate. Some turn arrant TOSueS ana
sulkcrs-thcsc arc nearly always m
horited but others turn "cribbers' anu
"staI-waIkcrs." The latter habit IS very
peculiar one. and reminds me Of the rest
l,Ssness Of the average wild beast IN
cage. When "A horse Is so anected ne
walks all the flesh of his bones, and 1t Is
irlro.eihle TO keep him in condition for
racing John McCaffery. whose astuteness
AS a trainer is generally recognized. had
a "stall-walker" in his string once, ana
he bit upon n novel eXpedient TO stop
these wInderlngs. If not 10 completely
cure them lie hung 10 the rafters OF the
stan a lot Of bricks wrapped in straw
and cloth. just low enough 10 hit the colt
sluarely In the head ut almost every step
IL took. so that whenever the colt started
on one Of these walking tours he got
crack that brought him up with . sharp
turn. and II he started off again another
whack The bricks were hung about
every two or three feet in an irregular
circle. so that the colt did not get far
on the walking expedition.
SULKERS THE BANE OF TRAINERS.
"Sulkers" are the banc Of q trainers
NE They cause more trouble than any
other species of equine shortcomings
Peter. i'm England: in this country. Eole.
VINO had To- be fooled in all sorts Of ways
t. De gotten out Of the stable on race
days: Ben Ali, Reporter dubbed the
King az Sulkers" pIcknicker, Pick
pocket. ana Sport are some OF the SHINING
lights which turn owners and trainers
nalr pr,moturey gray. Sport. In this re-
% a az 4 fNg
Iacc-horsc seen IN years HIS owners tried
him nj Shecpshcad Bay in a heavy weight
handicap on the grass. with l4j pounds
up. Everybody said that Sport would
not try a yard with that weight, and he
didn't: when the flag fell he got off last,
and when they had run quarter OF
mile he stopped dead short, ana could
not be persuaded or nogged into going on
al all. finally getting up on his hind
legs and dancing all over the track, and
would not move in any direction except
ius straight back 10 whore he started
from.
Then, too. many turn cunning" learn
Ing L. know that by running at the tail
end OF the field they w.ll not be called
upon TO exert themselves to win. This
seems almost human In its "cussedness."
but YOU can see 1t almost any day in the
week. a great deal depends IN the hand
ling of race-hOrses upon the character and
fitness Of the exercise lads. \ boy who is
cruel ana vicious by nature can spoil in a
week the best race-hOrse that ever was
foalcd The boys especially the colored
contingent. are great characters. and 10
the obserVant are "a never-ending source
OF amusement. You would be surprised
t. learn that these boys know more about
pedigree and family in the thoroughbred
than nine tenths OF the visitors TO the
rdco-tracks. Invariably the first ques-
ton they ask upon seeing u new horse is.
'Iiow's he bred?'
4 visit T. the stables ut the race-track
affords Il great variety of entertainment.
Early in the morning about sunrise the
first gallors are done, ana If the stable
has any starters within the next day or
TWO these receive their final winding
up." After the morning exercise is over
the boys clean W about the stables, clean
the tackle. wash the horse clothing and
their own, for the trainers pride is tC
have everything about his stable as "spicl
ana span" as water and soap can make
them. In the afternoon about O'Clock
the string does walking exercise" after
which they are fed. watered. and bedded
then comes recreation for all hands, and
after supper they swap Stories around
the fire ii il is winter, under the Sned II
summer,
You have heard about sailors yarns
but they are not a circumstance TO the
kind the average hors man spins. Per
haus You never heard Of the 3-year-old
which was so lit that he ran over tho
moon with all his weight up and n I,
penalty for having distanced the wind
Wen. that Is the kind Of yarns they breed
ont under the stable-sheds when the
moon shines brightly and the stars burr
In the heavens. Now a trainers lot. Ike
q p0licaman's. IS not happy one. It IS
an occupation fun of the bittcrest disap
pointmcnts. 1t calls for sclf-dcnial in the
highest degree. frequently in the season
cutailng great personal discomfort anC
even hardship. Men like Higgins, Jen
nines, walden. Joyner. Miller, Birch, ny
land. Stuart. Eyrnes. Rollins, Campbell
Lakeland. &c, 80 through an amount OF
genuine hard work that is incredible
Most ~ Thorn sleep right alongside OF
their horses. one Of the bOx-stails IS
carefully swept out. cots and washs'and'
brought in. and the trainer during the sea
son lives in his trunk. External Wi
lance Is the price Of liberty" il IS well re
corded. II takes eternal. external, inter
nal. nocturnal. and matutinal vigilance
t. handle thoroughbreds and win race
with them.