Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-02-09
GYMNASTICS FOR HORSES.
A Veteran Horse Trainer Thinks Trottir
Records Can he Reduced.

A Veteran Horse Trainer Thinks Trotting
Records Can he Reduced.
II have invented ways and means to
introduce the horse TO a series of gym
nastics which will shorten the time
many seconds on trotting records. and
there is no reason why a we'll bred horse
subjected TO my gymnastic exercises
cannot make mile in two minutes, 4"
said Professor Bartholomew, the horse
educator, recently at Independence to a
number of horse fanciers
Wonderful advancement has been
made in breeding and training horses
during the past 40 years. but with scien-
tific gymnastics added to n horse train
ing it is sure to cause yet greater sur
prises in record breaking The human
body has been 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 tho lines of speed
and endurance.
"A horse can trot n quarter of n mile
now in 80 seconds, and it stands to rea.
son that if horse can make n record Of
n quarter of milo in 80 seconds. and
it has been done. he can be put in con-
dition to go mile at the Same rate of
speed. Crack drivers have failed to put
their horses in tho proper condition so
far. and it is very doubtful if the pres
ont 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-
Pile had been grasped by horsemen years
ago it would have undoubtedly been put
in use have tho principle without
mistake. and winter is the time to do
tho work. In winter horses, rs n rule,
are losing speed instead of gaining.
The exercise l subject n horse to
will result in activity and long reach
and will cause running horses to make
better records rs we'll as produce moro
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 no would fail to produce
the desired result The public would
condemn the principle which | have
demonstrated TO my own satisfaction.
have never undertaken TO prove my
theory to the trotting fraternity. but tho
theory can be demonstrated in tho
course of a series of gymnastic train
ings, say. in four or five months. With
horse gymnastics the fieetest horse can
improve as much as the slower ones
that undergo tho same drill. Every
muscle and fiber of tho horse is brought
into play, until, in prize ring parlance,
he is in the pink of condition.
"a prizefighter while in training for
tho ring has his skin. scalp and bones
hardened until he is turned into the
ring perfect man physically. Every
muscle has been exercised with q view of
endurance He has punched the bag.
taken long runs TO test his wind and
reduce flesh-in short, the condition of
the prizefighter is brought about by
gymnastics. Tho same thing can be
done with a horse, but the exercise on
n race track won't do il. The animal
must have gymnastics and DO 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 flo must be taught
TO lilo down. roll over. reach out and
gather quickly--in short, he must be put
through scientific course of gymnas-
tics until every muscle shall be brought
into play. toughened 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
aud endurance.
Professor Bartholomew is veteran
horse trainer and has enjoyed national
reputation for years rs 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-
enco and owns one of the handsomest
residences in that suburban city He
formerly owned the greatest walking
horse in the world The animal could
cover u mile in square heel and too
walk in ten minutes and go the gait
day i'll and out at tho rate of six miles
an hour. The professor disposed of the
animal in California some years ago -
Kansas City Journal