Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1895-02-16
GYMNASTICS FOR HORSES.
A Veteran Horse Trainer Thinks Tra.t'n;
Records Can BE Reduced.


introduce the horse to q series Of gym
nastics which win shorten the tins
many seconds on trotting records, and
there is no reason why a wen bred hose
subjected to my gynanastic exercises
cannot make a mile in two Minutes.
said Professor Bartholomew, the harsS
educator, recently at Independence to s
number of horse fanciers-
Wonderful advancement has been
made in breeding and training horses
during the past 40 years, but with sciesl
tific gymnastics added 70 a horse S train
ing it is sure to cause yet greater sur
prises in record breaking The human
body has been wonderfully developed By
gynnastic exercises, as every one knows,
and had this idea of gymnastics been
introduced in the training of horses
years ago, Professor Bartholomew con
tinued. greater advancement would
have been made along the lines Of speed
and endurance.
A horse can trot aqUarter of mile
now in so seconds, and it stands to rea
sou that if horse can make record Of
a quarter Of a mile in 80 seconds. aid
it has been done, be can be put in con.
dition to 90 mile at tho came rate Of
speed Crack drivers have failed to put
their horses in the proper ccryiitio1 50
far. and it is very doubtful if the pres
ent system Of training trotting horses
viii ever bring about two minute rec
ord or less
Some will ask, How can a horse
work in gymnastics? But if the prinei-
PIE had been grasped by horsemen years
ago it would have undoubtedly been put
in use | have the principle without
mistake, and winter is the time to do
the work. In winter horses as rule
are losing speed instead Of gaining.
Tho exercise | subject horse to
viii result in activity and long reach
and win cause running horses to make
better records as well as produce more
speed in trotters refuse to tell how
these results can be broT ght about, sim
ply for the reason that ,me man would
undertake to practice my theory with,
out Judgment and knowledge of appli
CatiOil dl0 llt WOulu tlll W
the desired result The public would
condemn the principle, which | have
demonstrated to my OWL satisfaction
have never undertaken to prove my
theory to the trotting fraternity bnt the
theory can be demonstrated in the
course Of q series of gymnastic train
ings, say. ia four or five months With
horse gymnastics the feetest horse can
improve as much as the slower ones
that undergo the same drill Every
muscle and fiber of the horse is brought
into play, until, in prize ring parlance.
he is in the pink of condition
"A prizefghter while in training for
the ring has his skin. scalp and bones
hardened until he is turned into the
ring perfect man physically Every
muscle has been exercised with view of
endurance. He has punched the bag,
taken long runs to test his wind and
reduce aesh-in short, the condition Of
the prizefighter is brought about by
gymnastics The same thing can be
done with horse, but the exercise on
a race track won t do it. The animal
must have gymnastics and be brought
to the pink Of condition before he can
break a record He must be taught to
walk on his hind legs, to strengthen the
muscles of the back He must be taught
to lie down, roll over, reach out and
gather quickly--in short, he must be put
i through scientific course Of gymnas
tics until every muscle shall be brought
into play, toaghened and strengthened.
To do this he must be trick horse after
being trained in gymnastics Great re-
suits will follow in the way of speed
and endurance. "
Professor Bartholomew is veteran
horse trainer and has enjoyed a national
reputation for years as such He has a
rudy face, deep set blue eyes aad wears
his iron gray hair brushed back from
his forehead. He resides at Indepsnd-
ence and owns one Of tile handsolnest
residences in that suburban city He
formerly owned the greatest walking
horse in the world The animal could
cover mile in u square heel and toe
walk in ten minutes and go the gait
day iii and ont at the rate Of six miles
an hour The professor disposed of the
animal in California Some years ago =
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