The morning times., 1895-08-25


of them, at that. To see Fred Taral, the
premier jockey OF the country, riding some
grand thoroughbred on the Metropolitan
tracks, one would not think that he at one
time was the happiest boy in the world
when he landed some old skate winner on
a half-mile county fair" track.
TARAL's HARD SCHOOL.
Such is the case, however, ana it is doubt
fuI if any boy, with the possible exception
of some OF the Jockeys who were trained in
the school Of PA DAILY" ever had harder
experience than the Little Dutchman" be-
fore they rose to the first ranks OF the AnIeri-
can iUckeyShip.
Most of them have done everything around
d stable that is N tie line OF the daily rou-
the before they ever threw leg over a
horse These boys as a rule make the best
Jockeys. They practically live with the am
mails that earn their daily bread and come
TO know them and their dbits as they would
those Of human being.
When a man first gets hold Of boy that
looks as if lie would make a promising
lock" lie turns him over to the tender
mercies Of his trainer with instructions to
develop him 10 the best OF his ability and
Unless the object is to break him in 10
the saddle at once, the youngster Is usually
assigned odd jobs OF all sorts around the
barn" uHtn he becomes familiar with
The horses IN the string and their sur
roundlngs. lie is obliged 10 help rub
the horses, and to walk them around and
around III a circle TO cool them off after
their daily exercise gallop.
After some time he is intrusted with
few mounts 10 gallop IN the mornings,
and IN case he shows an aptitude 10 the
work he soon has the entire string on his
hands, and VIII gallop horse after horse
every morning, sometimes before, or di-
rectIy after the first peep of dawn is seen
in the east.
RACE TRACKS AT EARLY MORN.
After the sun has been up for any length
OF time it becomes SO hot during the sum
mer days that 1t would DO the horses more
harm than good To bring them out and
put them through their PAGES. This ne
cessitates very early rising and every one
connected with a racing stable soon gets
into the habit Of following the rule, early
to bed and early to rise"
1t is an Interesting and lively sight 10
when the horses are out for their daily work.
Little knots Of men are gathered here and
there through the empty grand stand
and as now and then a particularly fast
move is made by some likely youngster
or old campaigner the watches Will click
ana If the move is much out of the ordi-
nary there will be a lot OF whispering
and comparing OF the timepieces
Il, IL mo- n
with blankets and linseys thrown over their
shoulders andas the hetrainerorowner erof some
horse VIII give the exercise boy his in
structions they will eagerly watch him
as he slowly trots down the track. The
boy will probably have been told to give
him little pipe-opener around the track, !"
and then TO "breeze him through the
stretch
II is when the yearlings are out on the
track taking their little canters that the
sight is most pretty. They are frisky little
fellows, and when some stable that has a
big string OF them will send a half dozen
or SO out in one bunch they scamper over
the soft surface OF the course like'so many
kittens.
NO FUN IN THE COLD.
1t is not always, however, that the scene
is so interesting. In the cold it is not half
the fun that it might be. Many a boy
turns sleepy out OF his cot in the stables
and casts a longing look at the warm
blankets before he goes out into the biting
cold of the early morning to gallop the
horses.
His hands become numb from the cold and
his feet nearly drop off after he has put
one or two through their PAGES. 1t may be
warm enough when the day dawns. Snd
"OId Sol' gets in his work, but il is just
the opposite in the early dawn.
Soon, however, the exercise boy is given
his first mount and then his duties change
great ceaI If he is a good Jockey and
has good head he is kept riding, and finds
himself launched on the read TO success,
provided he is honest.
Hedoes not have to do anym rubbing"
or walking" but he is still called upon to
work the string" What pleases him
most. however, and fills his heart with
pride is the fact that he has valet. This
is the ambition of every boy who rides a
race horse.
II the boy is not engaged by an regular
stable, but is a free lance" he does not
have the exercising 10 do that a regular
stable Jockey will have. or course, if a
man wants him to ride his horse, before he
attempts 10 pilot him through race he
viii run over TO the track and work him
| once or twice.
POSSIBLE COMPLICATIONS.
Sometimes when q stable has a regular
jockey and breaks in another boy to take
the lightweight mounts, they have trouble
| with the two boys. In case they have two
horses in the same race and give one boy
instructions to wait for the other, complica-
tions win often arise that can not possibly
| be looked for before the race.
They may give one boy instructions to
set a hot pace and then if his stable COM
panion can win to let him do so, but if not
| to go after the money himself. This seems
simple enough, but the boys may be jealous
of each other and the one who has instruc-
tions to wait viii go on and "cop the coin"
himself
OF all the people employed i'll racing es-
tablishment the trainer is by far the most
! important. They could get along without
regular rubbers and exercise boys, but
without trainer, never He is the main
guy" and not a move is made unless he
sanctions it. In case the least thing in
the establishment should go wrong he
gets blamed for it.
He not only has to train the animals