Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1895-08-16
MACHINE MADE TROTTERs.
They May DO For tho Track. but Not FSg
Breeding.

The board of appeals has established,
by last winters decision, the law to
be that horse distanccd through acci-
dent resulting from impcrfcction Of his
own gear cannot be rcinstated. The case
at issue was the breaking Of checkrein
without any collision or outside inter-
ference This would seem to establish
the doctrine that driver must abide by
the outcome of his own arrangements,
but that he need not suffer from outside
interference. BY parity of reasoning,
then, driver may use any device to &C.
celerate the speed of his horse or control
him that does not in any way interfere
with other horses or cndangcr their
drivers. Without further legislation the
electric motor would seem to be permits.
sible, along with toe weights, bike sui.
kics, head governors, eating wheels,
poles, pully lines and every variety Of
boot and shoe. True, horses and fam.
lilies Of horses requiring much rigging
have little value for practical purposes.
and their procreation In an injury to
breeding interests, but that does not con.
stitute a legitimate reason for legisla.
ton against them. The broad principle
of constitutional freedom insures to ev.
cry one the right Of liberty of action 50
long as the rights Of others are not en-.
croached upon.
This brings us to hopples, the current
bone of contention and tho most impor.
tant adjunct today in tho drivers para
phernalia of devices for the manufacture
of artificial speed. Breeders should and
must be lawfully left to decide for
themselves the value Of hopple records
Like the electric motor and push unde,
bike the elastic properties Of the
hopple accelerate speed, adding to the
force and rapidity of action. BY their
use a horse may be compelled to pace
or trot, regardless of his inclination,
at the drivers will. Thus horse Of
muscular vigor and good wind may
be educated to trot or pace fast without
much natural inclination to do either
"A mechanical triumph, if you please,
and small credit to his breeder or his
sire and dam.
a case in point is 2.year old owned
by "a neighbor. With limbs unfettered
he can with difficulty be driven little
better than minutes. Controlled by
hopples and driven by hustler armed
with a chain fastened to the end Of o
stick, the poor brute shuffies along .
racing clip. Except upon the score Of
cruelty to animals, see no reason to
legislate against this. Breeders who
want that kind should be allowed to
raise them. So long as the hopples in
terfere with no one else, do not interfere
with them. They are just as legitimate
as toe weights and much more efficient.
1t is not my purpose to decry or abuse
them or deprive my good friends who
find them so valuable Of the privilege
of using them and breaking their collar
bones or necks, but have seen fearful
tumbles taken in races by horses wear.
ing them; have seen the horses, sulkies
and men piled in such heaps as to cause
n shudder Of fear to thrill all beholders,
thereby sickening and disgusting them
with the sport With the frequency Of
such accidents, as reported by the pa
pers, and familiar to those attending
the races, in view, it would seem need
full to begin seriously calling in question
a drivers right to use them in race
Train with them all you like, but score
for the word without them. M. T. g..
IN Breeders Gazette.