The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1900-01-17
AGRICULTURAL.
HORSE NOTES.

OF Nortn Hadley, Mass.
Said the well known trainer Lon
Mcdonald in a recent conversation:
81 never believe in racing horse for
the fun of it, l had rather a great
deal go to small race that could win
than parade with all the cracks on
on earth if could not get inside the
money. do not think many owners
race horses for the pure pleasure of
seeing the horse they own race. II is
not 80 much the money that they win,
but they like to see their horse in front.
For that reason | have made a study
of the various meetings, and L 90
where | think have good chance"
If man wants to get a good sum-
mer's use out of his horse he must see
that the horse is well wintered II the
animal is showed aw y in any old place
and fed few cornstalks now and again
he will come out poor as crow and it
will take the best part of the driving
season to get him in shape to do him
self justice, and at that he will give his
owner little satisfaction for he will
have neither speed nor good looks all
summer long.
"Has it ever occurred TO the average
horseman how hard it is to get a per-
feet team?" inquiries Spirit of the
Times. "Here is good description Of
the difficulties in the way: 1t is the
easiest thing in the world to find one
fast horse that is genuine road horse,
and when you start out 10 get two of
tn EN- near enough alike TO make pair
it's a good deal like trying to find five
aces in pack of cards. They must be
closely matched in size and conforma-
ton, with the same general style Of
m ake-up, even to the length and bulk
of their tails, the cut of their necks,
the size and shape of their heads, and
all these little points that give individ-
uality to a horse. Then they must
carry themselves alike. You often see
two horses that look alike when stand
ing still, but one outstyles the other
away eff when they are started up and
they have altogether different ways of
carrying their heads, ears and tails.
They are not team. Then, again,
you may get two horses that look alike
when stan ding or jogging, but perhaps
one of them is good deal bigger
gated than the other when driven at
speed; or maybe one of them is a
prompt driver, always up on the bit,
while the other is something of lag
gard that keeps the whiffletrees ALWAYS
uneven. If you carry the whip in
sight for his benefit the other horse is
pretty certain to fret, and so, after all,
your two horses are not pair"
On the use of blind brides a writer
in the National Stockman says: 81 can
think of but one instance where blind
brides are of any value. That is in
the case of lazy horse that makes
quick start when you raise the whip
before you have the satisfaction of hit
ting him. l use open brides on our
driving horses. 1 find horses are like |
men; what will work with one will not
work with another. So l study nv
horse aud govern myself accordingly.
l well remember mare which when
driven with open bride was somewhat
nervous and frightful. When she was
driven with blinds on the bride she
seemed like different horse. So
many people make this mist in put.
ting the wrong bride on their horses.
The horse should be studied carefully
before you go to hitch him up"
The term SCREEN" as applied to a
horse is purely conventional and has
no dictionary "tHnding, writes "Grif.
lin" in Iurr, I'D and Farm. tits
not in common use for any but light
harness horses, and used only in this
country to any extent. Hence its
meaning can be ascertained only from
the laws of the trotting turf, and the
rules OF the National and American
Irotting association unite in the fol-
lowing definition: GA green horse is
one that has never trotted or paced for
premiums or money against time, eth
or double or single" When Direct
started in his first race as trotter he
ceased to be green horse, no matter
what gait he might adopt thereafter.
The world s used to convey the idea Ct
raw, immature, inexperienced, and the
moment horse gets experience on the
turf he ceases to be green.
or the automobile in New York