The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-03-05
FAST TROTTERS TO POLE.
Old TIME EXPERT TALKS ABOUT
DOUBLE HARNESS TEAMS.

Qualities That Mako n Polo Horse and n
Pair Defined by Dun Walton-Two Trot-
tors Not Always n e~am-Comment on
the Price of p. G. Lords Vert and b. G..
When P. G. Lord OF Pittsburg paid $4,000
for a pair OF trotters at John Splan's recent
sale In Chicago no set the admirers OF the
American tyne Ct horse talking about the Pc
culiar value Of a we'll matched road team and
the qualities which 20 to make one. Some OF
those who had seen the horses. Vert. 2:15h.
and B. c., 2:15h. campaigned In the West
last year. were greatly surprised to read In
THE Sun that they had been sold at auction
for $4,000. neither one having done anything
SO brilliant as to make his apparent individual
value nearly $4,000.
"Whewl what a price for those two gold
ings!' exclaimed an amateur horseman the
other day on hearing oil. the sale. WHY you
could have bought either of them for $4,000 or
less last summer. and here they are selling for
almost twice as much as Robert Bonner paid
for Praytell. 2:0oH."
Yes. you're right" said Dun Walton. who
was noted nearly forty years ago for his skill in
matching. hitching and driving double teams:
almost twice az much as Mr.. Bonner paid
for Praytell, but not moro than half as
much as he would have to pay for a pair
OF Praytells. Two horses don't always mako
a pair. you know. 1t was the pair that
cost P. c. Lord $4,000. Two good road
horses well matched are worth a great deal
more money as a pair than they would be il
sold separately. l think it is safe to say that
as a rule the match is worth as much as the
horses are worth. When l say this l mean
that a first class double team is worth about
four times as much as ono Of the individual
horses Ia worth. II Mr.. Bonner had a real
good mate for Praytell. and both horses were
Onod po1a horaaa fha taam ought IN he worth
$4,000 or more. What a pole team they would
bel Anybody could drive them anywhere two
horses can go. and nobody knows where they
would set the record for double teams. I
should expect them to trot in 2:O8 or better"
What. 60 faster in double harness than
either alone2" exclaimed the amateur.
Certainly. Why not. II the horses were per-
fectly matched? Look at the records Of near
ly all the great double teams. from Lady Pal
mer and Flatbush Maid down to Belle Hamlin
and Honest George. They go to show that a
good pole horse can trot faster in double har-
ness than he can without a mate. You see.
the weight behind them is divided. Two good.
ambitious horses will try to beat each other.
too. and so you get the best speed there Is in
them. It's reasonable. when you come to
think OF It. and the records como pretty near
proving that It's true. But the horses must be
pole horses to do It,"
What makes q pole horse. anyhow. DUMP"
the old-time expert was asked. Walton blew
the smoke from his cigar toward the ceiling
refectively for u moment and said:
This same things that make a good road
horse also make a good pole horse. generally
speaking. In the first place. you must have a
horse that is level -headed-that doesn't know
how to make a break. One Of the kind that
you can tap with the whip and call on for all
he is.worth without being afraid he is going to
spoil everything by jumping up when It comes
t, Q hard drive. Many o fast road horse and
many 4 fast team that you will see up on the
Speedway can't be forced to go their best clip
for fear Of breaking. and slower horses beat
them down the road. A good pole horse must
go straight and neither lay in too close to the
pole nor pull out too wide. None Of these trot-
to keep their hind feet In line with their front
G1ss will = b do at t fla; d Tssni % nal on y fSa r. nus;
puller worries and tireS the man who drives
harness and have to take them back YOU pull
their heads together 30 that they can't go
n hot-hsaded horse that wants to rush
away all the time can he a Rood, one to pole.
He will always be pulling the collar up on the
place. The moment the reins. are slack
away he Goss. Some cay a natural pole horse
! don't believe any horse will do that naturally.
but a good man can teach q good pole horse to
adapt himself to his mate and to every move
that he makes. which amounts to about the
same thing. l think a horse must liko 70 40
TO pole to be o really good ono at the business.
a good many horses don't like 1t and won't do
pen TO fancy the horse on the other side OF the
pole. Whom you talk about road horses or road
teams for ~plsasure driving In a city Ike New
York you want horses that are absolutely fear
less and safe TO drive through all kinds OF
excitement and that can be easily rated ut any
gait from q walk TO full speed. What they call
good manners down at the Horse Show are
sometimes worth thousands OF dollars In a
fast trotter or a pair OF them. They say Mr.,
Lords new team arc wonders for good
sense and disposition. Somebody told ma
that Splan said when he was selling them:
Gentlemen. here are two fast horses that will
stand with tho lines over the dashboard. and
eat oats OF the c.owcatcher of a locomotive
1T isn't the easiest thing In the world to
and one last horse that Is agenuipe road horse,
and when you start out to get two OF them near
enough alike 70 make a pair it's a good deal
Ike trying to hpd fye aces IN a pack Of cards;
They must be closely matched In size and
makeup. even TO the length and hulk OF their
tails. the cut Of their nerks. the size and shape
OF their heads, and all those little points that
give individuality to horse. Then they must
carry themselves alike. You will often sec
two horses that look alike when standing still.
but one outstyles the other away of when
they are started up. and they have altogether