Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1895-02-15
GYMNASTICS FOR HORSES.
A Veteran Horse Trainer Thinks Trottini
Records Can BE Reduced.

a veteran Horse trainer lnlnks lIOtbihB
Records Can BE Reduced.
II have invented ways and means to
introduce the horse to a series Of gym
nastics which will shorten tho time
many seconds on trotting records, and
there is no reason why a well bred horse
subjected to my gymnastic exercises
cannot make a mile in two minutes, "
said Professor Bartholomew, the horse
educator, recently at Independence to q
number of horse fanciers.
Wonderful advancement has been
made in breeding and training horses
during the past 40 years, hut with scien-
tifc gymnastics added to b horses train
ing it is sure to cause yes greater sur
prises in record breaking The human
body has beel wonderfully developed by
gymnastic 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 q quarter Of mile
now in 30 seconds, and it stands to rea'
son that if horse can make q record OF
a quarter Of a mile in 30 seconds, and
it has been DONE he can be put in con-
dition to 60 mile at the same rate Of
speed. Crack drivers have failed to put
their horses in the proper condition so
far, and it is very doubtful if the pres
ent system of training trotting horses
will ever bring about two minute rec
ord or less.
"Some will ask, How can horse
work in gymnastics? But if the princi-
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 a rule,
are losing speed instead Of gaining.
1.-THE exercise | subject a horse to
will result in activity and long reach
and will cause running horses to make
better records as well as produce more
speed in trotters refuse to tell how
these results can be brought about, sim
ply for the reason that some man would
undertake to practice my theory with
out Judgment and knowledge Of appli-
cation, and he would fail to produce
the desired result The public would
condemn the principle, which | have
demonstrated to my own satisfaction. l
have never undertaken to prove my
theory to the trotting fraternity, bnt the
theory can be demonstrated in the
course of a series of gymnastic train
ings, say, in four or five months. With
horse gymnastics the fleetest 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 a 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 hesh-in short, the condition OF
the prizefghter 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
10 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
10 lie down, roll over, reach out and
gather quickly-in short, ne must be put
through a scientific course Of gymnas-
tics until every muscle shall be brought
into play, toughened and strengthened.
To do this he must be a 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 anational
reputation for years as such. He has a
ruddy face, deep set blue eyes and wears
his iron gray hair brushed back from
his forehead. He resides at lndepend-
ence and owns one Of the handsomest
residences in that suburban city BE
formerly owned the greatest walking
horse in the world. The animal could
cover mile in a square heel and toe
walk in ten minutes and 20 the gait
day in and out at the rate Of six miles
an hour The professor disposed Of the
animal in California some years ago. -
Kansas City journal