Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-02-27

opinion l had been at so much pains to
secure, the horses were round again, and
the mare, who had been going unkind-
ly all tho time, now SwerYed and then
stopped. refusing to pass the wicket
which led back to the boxes. In vain
the lad urged her. She showed temper
and dashed out.
Get of. my lad, said Natty, and
took the boys place in the saddle.
How he managed it | don t know, but
somehow he succeeded, though Il total
stranger to her, in getting the jade I'M
der way again, and she certainly went
much better in his hands.
"A queer tempered one, " Purkiss said
she was The marc had shown some
speed at the beginning of the preceding
season and had won an unimportant race
or two. b"s after that she had trained
off, and he, Purkiss, did not think she
would ever run straight again.
What did you say she was by, and
what name did she run under?' Nat in
quired carelessly when he had dis
mounted.
"By Gamester, out of Anonyma, sir,
and master called her Skittles. -
mot bad blood that. Gamester was
good horse, and the dam was IA very
we'll bred one
Yes, sir, but the mare don't seem
to sort after one nor t'Other of EN-.
She 5 bad door and Il bad temper, and
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 moro
about the horses until we were on our
way home. Then. rs we lighted our
cigars while waiting for his train at
Templeton, l said: Il see you don't
think much of my legacy, Nat. l sup
pose you advise mo to sell both the
horses. together with the brood mares,
for what they will fetch?"
Il don't advise anything of the sort.
If you get good offer for the colt you
might sell him, but the marc l should
certainly keep"
What tor? Because no one would
give anything for her?"
mo. because you might make a good
thing out of her. She's Il tlier."
Nonsense"
Fact"
You are surely chatting me. Bril-
liant is worth 20 of her"
ITO look we'll on parade, yes. For
racing l should say the mare was worth
30 of him.
never was more astonished in my
life l demanded what in the world he
meant.
Il will try to explain, said Nat,
coolly putting his cigar, but you must
be perfect child in horsetlesh, George,
not to see it for yourself. | grant you
the colt is a good looking one, we'll top
ped. and so on, but he S too wide in the
chest ever to be real fast one and
don't move with any freedom-can't
stride over 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 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 thoroughbred. I'll
bet you that mare can both gallop and
stay when in condition.
But she won't gallop yard and is
evidently II 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 tho mare. He has over
done her both with corn and work.
What she wants is Il 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, think will-at
least it is certain 1 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
want of elasticity in their system. To
overtrain was the tendency of the age.
The competition for the moro 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 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 compara-