Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-12-16
COMPANIONS OF THESTABLE
Dogs and Cats and Race Horses Are Ere
quently Good Friends
star Pointer and n MOngfel Were
Fast Friends-Mystfc Parks
PIucky Cat.


From the Boston Herald
The sight cf tiny dog perched on the
back of a well-blanketed horse which is
being led about the paddock is a scene
which always attracts the attention of
visitors to the trotting track. If the sight
seer happens to be woman. she is i'm
pressed with the idea that there Is a good
deal of kindness hidden away underneath
the rough exterior of the groom. And, as
a matter of fact. there Is.
While, of course, there have been many
instances where the temper and disposition
of horses have been ruined by ill-tempered
boys, 1t is safe to say that the average
"swipe' in big stable has kindly feel
ing for his charge. The successful trainer
will not have boy around his stable who
strikes whips horse.
1t is in the pets kept about the stables
that the affection of the caretaker shows
itself. These lads, some of them at least,
have nothing to lavish it upon. Many
and varied are the excuses for having
dog around. for Mr.. Swipe does not care
to have it known that he has soft spot
under his rough coat. The usual excuse Is
| a good one. for 1t is not only plausible, but
has a good measure of common sense in
it. The horse Is sociable brute-more so
than those not acquainted with him will
allow-and the dog in the stall with nerv-
Gus, high-strung racer will quiet his nerves
by giving the horse something to think
about.
Leave horse alone and he is apt to
worry, and this will not allow of his eating
as he should. a grave defect when race day
comes and the money is down.
Then there are other excuses for the
presence of a dog In the stable: Some
| mouse. and the lazy little terrier which one
sees summing himself in front of the stable
door takes good care that during the night
no rats mice make their way into the
a IN at q OF horse
companion.
AS watcr dog. these pets discount
night Waterman. for 1t must be as wise
camp follower who could spirit away
blanket bit of harness when the dog is
about.
All the scraps of the stable which are be-
slowed these dumb assistants of the
| training stable by the boys are a wise in
vestment. of which the average stable
owner takes no account
Most of the stable dogs are fox terriers,
although occasionally one sees a bull ter
rier dog of doubtful pedigree making
himself at home with the horses. Large
dogs. as rule do not fit about a training
stable
| Probably the reason the little fox terrier
| is so popular is that he has a natural love
| for horses. and in most instances. the
| steed returns this affection. although occa-
| sionally horse is found which Will chase
any dog out of the stable.
When Dave McClary had Star Pointer he
became posseSsor of dog of mixed breed
| ing named BIT rTs, which attracted the ats
| tention of all visitors to the champions sta
| bic. Burns had some bull terrier in him.
and the affection between the big PAGER and
| the dog remarked by all. The dog
never got far away from the stable, and 1t
was Interesting to see the champion stick
his head out of the stable door to receive
| the carasSeS of the dog. Burns would stand
on his hind legs and lap the muzzle of the
| horse as he would lick the hand of his
| master. Burns was photographed with
| Pointer time after time, and secured fame
hN ammo pl he Int an
| lions made of the champion.
| When Ed Bovine took John r. Gentry
(2n012) and Robert J. (2011a through the
| country a rough-haired little terrier early
| took a place with the black and gold out
| fit. Where he came from no one ever
knew, but from the Importance he dis
| played the little tramp evidently thought
| the tour would rot be a success without
| him. Every time the horses were led out
| on the track the shaggy little fellow would
dance ahead of the horses, barking loudly.
One of the most interesting dogs on the
race course Is the one owned by Lucky
Baldwin, who for many years was head
assistant to John Cheney. Baldwin, whose
right name. by the way, is w. H. Mat
thews is a character in his way, a good
Caretaker; he can team some, has acted as
starter in northern New York, and is not
averse to mounting the auctioneer's box
and conducting a sale. 1t was his original
way Of putting things that attracted chief
attention. Many a horse he designated
a "cannibal,' and to the initiated it
no account as race horse but was brother
or sister to some well-known money-earn-
ing CamDagner, ana was diving on the
reputation of It's brother the horse
did not have reputation enough of its own
to warrant training.
Badwin's Punch was one of the attrac-
| tions between heats, and the wire-haired
| terrier had been educated long and faith
| fully. When the band would play some of
| the grooms would place old hat On
| Punch and lead him to the quarter stretch
| where so long as the music lasted. he
would dance enthusiastically. With cigar
or pipe in his mouth. he would march up
and down the track, and there was hardly
a trick, from back somersaults to the hoola-
hOOla dance. he could not execute.
At Wichita, Kan. this fall a cat, being
chased by dag, took refuge in the stall of
Joe Patchen, and as that afternoon the
black horse defeated Gentry, the cat ac-
companied the stable to the California
coast.
While cats have rot figured much about
| the race course, there was one a dozen or
more years ago at Mystic Park which won
notoriety because of its ability to whip all
| strange dogs that came along. Dogs per-
manently quartered at the track were not
molested, bur others were driven from the
ground with dispatch
One Sunday a gentleman who had some
| horses in the hands of a Mystic trainer
| drove out to he Medford track and was
companied by big setter dog. The owner
had barely got out of his carriage when the
cat which. pursuing its Usual tactics, was
| in hiding behind a pile of straw, awaited
| its opportunity and jumped on the dogs
| back. The dog ran out of the gate and
made for home. while the cat jumped off
| by the big tree in front of the hotel and
secured safety In the branches.
The owner was wrathful. and left the
park vowing vengeance. On the following
Sunday he returned. but accompanied by
bull terrier which had reputation of hay
| ing killed more cats than any other dog
which ever lived. With vengeful smile
on his face the owner drove into the park,
but, unlike the owner the bulldog was not
onto the game, and when, from a dark
stall. the cat ran out and secured firm
mount on his back. the bulldog broke
ground did the setter on the previous
Sunday. AS usual. the cat escaped In the
friendly elms and when last seen the bull
dog was headed for Maiden. 1t may have
been from sense of shame that the dog
never returned to his owner. But a success
sion of victories for years was too much for
the cat for at last becoming oyer-confi-
dent. he one day lost his footing and the
tables were turned.
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