The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-11-14
Race Track and
Stable Gossip

Jltl at tuis DIlt Wnen tutTt II tN-
cry prospect OF more American bred
horses being seen In the near future
on the English turf than at any pre-
vious period. a few remarks on the diff
ferent methods OF training and stable
management in England. as compared
with he methods of representative
American trainers. may be OF interest.
In the first place, the English rain
er has an advantage in generally be-
ing able TO get boys. as beginners. who
have beer decently brought up, and
pobably so per cent. of them bred
In the business, whereas in this
try. especially in the metropolitan dis
trict. 80 per cent. OF the exercise b.,vs
are taken out Of charitable .nstit ltiurs
of various kinds.
BY this statement I must not he u:s-
derstood as casting any reflection OF
the boys who were unfortunate e.1Uch
to be placed In these institutions. ON
the contrary II In to their credit that
a large percentage Of IN -se have prov
en- apt pupils. besides growing up man-
~, well behaved lads. But &ith IL or
a dozen OF such kids just out of n pro-
tectory or some sue institution, II Is
Easy to understand how the American
trainer. compared with his profession
al brother in England. is handicapped
In what is one of the most important
factors In the handling and training
of a stable of race horses.
The case can be summed up as fol-
lows: In England a trainer could I'm
less than six monehs get together all
around help for a string of 40 or so
horses. that IL would take him here
at least three years to surround him
calf IN A.. 49,
the impression that all the English
boys are perfect. but the conditions In
regard to the bringing up and general
discipline evolve ON the whole a more
reliable lad.
In the breaking and mounting of
yearlings the English trainer rightly
thinks this n most important matter.
and so much time and pains is given
to 1t that exercise boys there have a
great advantage over those In this
country. who. In most instances. are
mounted on horses, old and young,
which never were mouthed. To the
ordinary observer this may appear a
trihins matter. but the rough n
ready methods in vogue in his country
In the breaking Of yearlings has a far
reaching effect. and of the starting
troubles. not only of recent years. hut
for many years. one-hal has resulted
from the horses mouths being spoiled.
II is an old proverb. N mouth, no
horse"
In the training and handling Of year
lings the English trainer. IL may lie
stated, does not try his yearlings at
all. In fact II is not until the fall
after they are taken up and broken.
which occupies at least a couple of
months. that they are asked 10 gallop,
the general custom being TO lead them
around with n surcinrle or dumb jock
ey on their backs. from which side
lines of rubber are attached to the
checks of the bit, very loose at first,
but gradually frightened as the young
ster gets accustomed to restraint.
When the mouth has been made. they
are then put trough a course OF what
Is called 'lurginF." which is being
made to trot and canter around a cir
Gle al the end Of n long lunging rein.
When all OF this kindergarten part Of
the programme has been got through
with the youngster Is then saddled for
the first time. and in due course n lad
gets n leg up and the baby racer Is
then ridden at a walk for several
weeks. so that yearlings there are ham
died all Of two months before they are
even asked TO Callop. As stated n
week ago yearling trials ere unknown
in England. so hat IL is well on in the
spring at 2-year-olds before the Eng
lish trainer has seen his young bri-
'pspuelxs SIIIrJ 9ppS
In passing l may here repeat h
I wrote several years ago. that every
thing else being equal. the American
bred 2-year-old will. up until. say, the
middle of June. always beat the En-
glish bred one. for the simple reason
n he has more range and liberty.
Consequently. when not ruined by too
severe yearling trials. American young
sters come to hand earlier and show
their real form much sooner than
those reared under the more or less
artificial conditions prevailing in Eng
land.
In regard to getting horses ready for
early spring engagements. the climate
in England generally admits of horses
being exercised out In the open during
the winter almost every day with but
few exceptions. This. of course. Is OF
great advantage. especially with gross
heavy topped horses. The English
trainer usually gives his horses more
slow work before really sending them
along in earnest than is customary I'm
this country, while all horses are ex-
ercised with clothing on. Of some sort.
md IL is only when being worked out
I'm a trial. as we term II here, that they
are stripped Of their clothing.
The blanket idea as an adjunct In
the fitting of horses has long since been
exploded in this country. Doubtless
the idea was imported. but experience
proved hat the climatic conditions
were so different that what might he
necessary In England was Injurious
here. In the trying Of horses he En-
glish trainers timer Is a horse and
not n watch. but I think the time is not
far on when the watch as an adjunct
TO the trial horse will become general
i'm England. and in this they would
get the most reliable of all trials, which
in a country where big turf coups are
fashionable is a matter of the almost
Importance.
In stable management while all OF
the surroundings and general get up
| are on a much more elaborate scale
in England. and with almost military
discipline. when Il gets down, how
ever. to the common sense treatment
OF the horse. h representative Amer