The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1895-09-22
Damned little use" erowIed the bar.

Damned little use," growled the bar
onet. What is the good Of bandaging
perfectly sound Ieg?''
mot much in itself. OBVIOUSLY. But
after all, horses are very much like hui
man beings. When they realize that
something is being done, it often inspires
them with confidence and faith to be
healed
The above conversation took place at
Sandown park on the morning before the
race for the Eclipse stakes. Sir John
Cowsell, the owner of Billingstone, had
good reason to consider himself untortu-
nate. He had been on the turf now for
about ten years, without having yet won
an important race. He felt his misfor-
tune the more acutely, that he had on
several occasions got second-more than
once by the narrow margin of a head-ln
big events.
In the preceding year, his candidates.
both for the Two Thousand and the Liv.
erpool Summer cup, had been placed,
each being dark" performer at long
price. Sir John, indeed. went in for
training clark" horses. Ten years pre-
viously. on succeeding to his brothers
title and estate-a moderate patrimony
in Wiltshire-he had established a small
stud. and since then had bred and
trained his own horses. He probably
knew more about equine nature than any
other amateur in Eng land.
He was devoted to horses. always had
been from his boyhood. And, during
the many years that he lived abroad, as
best he could (for he was wild and ex-
travagant, and his father had cut him
adrif0 he invariably supported hims self
by some occupation which brought him
into contact With horses. AT one time be
would be heard Of on horse ranch in
COLORADO; at another serving as subordi-
nate in some Australians sportsman's
tok In, o< nfh (trh
much down on his luck) as groom in
a travelling circus. But il was always in
connection with horses.
He neither really understood nor cared
for anything else in the wolrd.
The estate to which he succeeded in his
worth, perhaps, from $4,000 to $4,000
year gross. 1t was situated in Wiltshire,
on the edge of Salisbury plain-a quiet
out-of the-world little place, fifteen miles
from a town and nine from railway. In
this spot Sir John established his hum
BILE stud and started to breed and to train
horses. His means were Insufficient to
let him take it up on large or preten-
tious seals. But by his intimate knowl-
edge of horses. his good judgment and
his wond erful skill in their mana cement.
he did surprisingly WE'LL and it was not
many years before he established for him
self quite reputation. At small meet
luR5 uc was COuotuHtty winning iaCCS,
and although, as has been said, hAlad
never yet won big event, he had Sc ara
times come very near doug So Inueed,
when some dark outsider did show itself
dangerous i'll an important race, it not in
frequently turned out to be Sir John Cow.
sells. The knowing ones. therefore,
watched him with interest, and were
careful how they laid extravagant odds
against his candidates.
Now, Billingstone was, beyond doubt,
the best colt shat Sir John had ever bled.
No one could see him gallop without be.
ing at once struck by the ease and the
speed with which he moved. He had
been entered for several races for 2-year-
olds. but owing to the unfortunate and
peculiar nervous affection which has been
mentioned above. he had never yet run in
public. Sir John was in despair when his
fits Of periodical lameness began to devel-
op, and he at once requisitioned the SER
vices Of the famous horse doctor, Batters.
For four months that expert made the
journey from London into Wiltshire twice
every week. At first the ailmsnt puzzled
him considerably. But he soon decided
that it was of a nervous nature, and
treated the colt accordingly. HIS diagno-
sis and its consequent treatment were
amply justified by results. At the end Of
the four months Billingstone was COM
pletely cured, and Batters expressed con-
hdence that. having once got over the
constitutional trouble entirely. the odds
were long against its ever recurring again.
SIR John. had been jubilant at such a