The McCook tribune. (McCook, Neb.) 1886-1936, 1894-02-02
by Gamester, out of Anony ma, Sir,

well bred one"
Yes, sir, but the mare don't seem
to sort after n nor t'other OF EN-.
She's u bad doer and a bid temper. and
l don't believe as she'll ever do any
thing, sir
Perhaps not. You like the colt bet
Ter, then, Purkiss?'
Il do, sir-a deal better. He's quite
another stamp, is Brilliant. They amt
to be named in the same day"
Il fancy you are right there"
After this Natty said nothing more
about the horses until we were on our
way home. Then, as we lighted our
cigars while waiting for his train at
Templeton, | said: II see you don't
think much of my legacy, Nat. | sup
pose you advise me to sell both the
horses, together with the brood mares.
for what tn = will fetch?"
Il don't advise anything of the sort.
If you get a good offer for the colt, you
might SILL him, but the mare l should
certainly keep"
What for? Because no n would
give anything for herr"
mo. because you might make a good
thing out of her. She's a flier."
NONSENSE"
Fact
You are surely chatting me. Bril-
liant is worth 20 of her.
To look well ON parade, yes. For
racing | should say the mare was worth
20 Of him."
| never was more astonished in my
life. | demanded what in the world he
meant.
II will try to explain, said Nat,
coolly putting his cigar, but you must
be a perfect child in horseflesh, George,
not to see it for yourself. | grant you
the colt is a good looking one, well top
ped. and so on. but he 8 too wide in the
chest ever to be a real fast one and
don't TO- with any freedom-can't
stride over a straw, in fact. Didn't
you see how the mare overhauled him
when l got on her back? Now, she's
all over a race horse, made like a grey
hound, high behind, well ribbed up,
but not too close for her big hind quar-
tiers to have free play, light muscular
forehand, good shoulders and deep
girth, with wear and tear looking joints
and large bone for a thoroughbred. I'll
bet you that mare car both gallop and
stay when in condition"
But she won't gallop a yard and is
evidently a regular jade. You heard
what Purkiss said?"
II did and perceived how little he
knew. The fact is, Purkiss has done
his best to ruin the mare. He has over
done her both with corn and work.
What she wants is a couple of months
rest, with some nice green food. The
natural juices of fresh grasses or clover
will %renovate the tone of her stomach
and restore her health, so that when
she is put in training again her temper
will be much improved, and you will
find her go in quite different style. She
looks cut in two now, but you won't
know her again in the autumn if you
follow my advice"
Upon my word, I think l will-at
least it is certain I should get nothing
for her now"
There were more horses spoiled, Nat
assured me. by entertaining than own
ers had any idea of. In his opinion, the
natural powers of more than half the
horses running were lessened in this
way. Trainers had not sufficient edu-
cation, and in consequence there was a
want of elasticity in their system. To
overtrain was the tendency of the age.
The competition for the more valuable
prizes was so keen that the trainer was
overfearful of sending a nag to the
post on what he would call the big
side, forgetting. or more probably not
knowing, that a large proportion of the
highly bred horses of the day run bet
ter in that condition than when drawn
too fine. My mare, he said, was Of a
constitution which required compare
lively little work to make her fit. Horses
varied in their temperament as much
as human beings, and the work which
a greedy, hearty horse like Brilliant re-
quired and the corn he could assimilate
with ease would be enough to upset the
freer and more nervous temperament of
the mare.
Much more Natty said to the same
purpose, and perceiving that he had
studied the veterinary science of the
subject to some effect l thought could
not do better than place the manage
ment of my little stud in his hands,
which / did then and there. 1t was de-
cided to give both the horses a couple of
months holiday at Stockwood before
its new owner took possession, and then
send them to a smaller trainer on the
Dorset downs, where they would be un-
der Natty's occasional supervision.
Purkiss took a situation as coachman
to an old lady, where Nat thought he
would be more in his element. The
brood mares were to be sent up for sale
as soon as opportunity offered.
CHAPTER III.
It took me all nv time to persuade