The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1895-07-04
EQUINE GYMNASTICS.
A Veteran Trainers Plan for
5.% Preparing Trotters. u
Tho Principle Is tho Same AZ In the
e.. Training of Athlotes-Great Results
N..5r In Speed and Endurance
: '.'s' .,' ,,..- Expected. -,1'

introduce the horse to q series of
gymnastics which will shorten the time
many seconds on trotting records; and
there is no reason why a well-bred
horse subjected to my gymnastic exer-
cises cannot make a. mile in two min
utes," said Prof Bartholomew, the
horse educator, recently to a writer for
the Kansas City Journal. "Wonderful
advancement has been made in breed
ing and training horses during the
past forty years, but with scientific
gymnastics added to horses training
it is sure to cause yet greater surprises
in record breaking. The human body
has been wonderfully. developed by
gymnastic exercises, as everyone
knows, and had this idea of gymnastics
been introduced in the training of
horses years ago." Prof. Bartholomew
continued, 'sgreat advancement would
have been made along the lines of
speed and endurance. &c.. ~ :..-
"a horse can trot quarter of mile
now in thirty seconds, and it stands to
reason that if a horse can make a
record of quarter of a mile in thirty
seconds, and it has been done, he can
be put in condition to go a mile at the
same rate of speed. Crack drivers
have failed to put their horses in the
proper condition so far, and it is doubt
full if the present system of training
trotting horses will ever bring about a
two-minute record or less. Some will
ask: How can a horse work in
gymnastics? But if the principle had
been grasped by horsemen years ago it
would have undoubtedly been put in
use. I have the principle, without mis-
take, and winter is the time to do the
work. In winter horses, as rule, are
losing speed instead of gaining.
Theexercise subject horse to will
result in activity and long reach and
will cause running horses to make bet
ter records, as well as to produce more
speed in trotters. refuse to tell how
these results can be brought about,
simply for the reason that some man
would undertake to practice my theory
without Judgment and knowledge of
application, and he would fail to pro-
duce the desired result. The public
would condemn the principle, which I
ton. have never undertaken to prove
my theory to the trotting fraternity,
but the theory can be demonstrated in
the course of series of gymnastic
trainings, say in four or five months.
With horse gymnastics the feetest
horse can improve us 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 isin the pink Of
condition. A prize fighter, 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 ex-
ercised with a view to endurance. He
has punched the bag, taken long
runs to test his wind and reduce
flesh. In short, the condition of the
prize fighter is brought about by
gymnastics. The same thing can be
done with horse, but the exercise on
race track won't do it. The animal
must have gymnastics and be brought
to the pink of condition before he can
break the 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 through scientific course of
gymnastics 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 results will follow
in the way of speed and endurance"
Prof. Bartholomew is a veteran horse
| trainer, and has enjoyed a national
reputation for years as such. He has
ruddy face, deep-set blue eyes and
wears his iron-gray hair brushed back
| from his forehead. lie resides at In
dependence and owns one of the hand
soonest residences in that suburban city.
He formerly owned the greatest walking
horse in the world. The animal could
cover mile in square heel-and-toe
walk in ten minutes, and go the gait,
day in and day out, at the rate of six
miles an hour. The professor disposed
of the animal in California some years
| ago. -
4 College for Monkeys.
1