Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1899-12-12
SrHE ENGLISH RACE HORSE
Education Of a Thoroughbred for the
Tracs Begins Early


khe education Of the thoroughbred
hgfse begins while he is still a year
lpyA~or as he will in all probability
be ynod to run in races for two
year'olds the sooner he is broken in
to the saddle and bride the better.
Moreover, if taken in hand when a
colt nc is more tractablo, and the ele-
ments Of his education are fraught
withgk pain to himself and less
troubT TO his breaker than il the
business was postponed Having
learned to carry a manor, rather
boy-on his back, and to obey the
rein, his training as race horse be-
gins. Somebody has summarized the
preparation for racing as "gallop,
gallop, gallop;" but in the case Of the
young horse that summary is rather
misleading. In olden times the prac-
tico of sweating was general; the
colt, in addition to his regular work,
was twice a week smothered in rugs
and hoods, and, thus muflled, sent on
a four or even six-mile gallop. But
this heroic method of getting the
beef off" has been given up for "a
years or more, and is resorted to now
adays only to reduce a gross horse
}whose legs will not stand much gal
Looping. The amount of exercise given
each horse depends upon many fac
tors; one that feeds well and does his
corn justice wants more work than
delicate feeder One Of the great
secrets of the trainers art is to learn
exactly how much work each horse
can do with the greatest advantage;
how much each requires to get off
his fqtsnd develop his muscles. The
seriobW business of training begins
in the spring when the ground is soft
and horses can be galloped without
risk of injury to their feet and legs.
AT five o'clock in the morning the
trainers string of a dozen or more,
keach horse sheeted and hooded and
fidden by his lad, leaves the stable
and starts for an hours walking ex-
ercis& this preliminary is essential,
for ~ taken direct to the training
ground and allowed to canter while
Perfectly fresh, dire grief would be
the eonsequence-boys "unshipped,"
and snorting young horses kicking
and galloping wildly all over the
country side. The hours walk
steadies their high spirits, and, when
taken on the downs, they are fairly
well behaved The routine of work
is much the same from day to day; a
little trot to quicken the youngsters
circulation, then three-furlong or
half-mile canter, followed by another
bout of walking and another eanter.
HE mornings work concludes with |
short gallop; the speed being in
reased as the horses get more eft"
Occasionally the work is varied with |
Mat the colt doubtless thinks real |
FACE; he is dispatched to run half a
mile or six furlongs beside an old
horse, and enters into the spirit of |
the thing thoroughly His rider at
tho start teaches him how to ''get |
away well-start at speed without |
loss of time, a very necessary thing
for him to learn, for many Of the races
he will be entered for are short ones,
in which a good start is half the bat
tie. In these education races the
youngster is always allowed to win,
the old horse being held in for the
purpose if need be- Horses are curl
ously constituted, and the colt is apt
to lose heart if frequently made to
run against o rival who always beats
him, and if thus disheartened at the
rarely RECEIVERS his natural
souIy3e and spirit. There are no
whipsorspurs on The training ground;
The youngster learns to do his best
IN obedience to hand and heel alone,
and does not know what punishment
means till he has to struggle for "the
Judges eye" The Road. Il,
N o-ooa. HnIIand D~aeas,Ae an ,