The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-04-22
ALL FOND OF HORSES
NOT ONLY ONE WHO
 LIKES THOROUGHBREDs.
Some of His Predecessors Took Part i'm Racing-Fine Animals Of Wash
 fngton--Jackson Was e Great Lover of the Sport Of Kings.


 President Roosevelt is well known to be an enthusiastic and expert horseman. but he is but one Of num- ber of notable eQuestrians among the Presidents. General Grant has gone into history as "the man on horseback" washingtons portraits are largely equestrian, and associated with every period of Jackson's career are the horses he loved so we'll says The Washington Post.
 Washington rode the finest horses in Virginia. and it is said that he once rode ten different horses Into Alexandria4in a single week, and dur ing his latter years >his stables at Mount Vernon were among the best in the country. He visited his horses upon rising in the morning, and al ways saw that they had their break fast before he took his own. He kept thoroughbreds, and his esaate at Mount Vernon resembled that of an English nobleman in many respects. He had his pack of hounds. and was very fond of fox hunting. His favorite hunter was a fiery, long-limbed iron-gray. His last hunt was in 17S5, when he killed a stag weighing 14o pounds.
 Washington displayed a great deal of sentiment toward his animals. The morse ne TOue Wntn ue iteCANNu the sword of Cornwallis, on the 18th of October, 17S1, was a fine chestnut charger, with white face and legs. Washington took him to Mount Yer non after the war and never allowed him to be worked. He was well sta- bled and cared for, and died many years later.
 Jefferson Kept Fine Stock. Jefferson kept the finest horses in his stables, and paid very high prices for some of them. At the time of his inauguration he rode to the capitol on his favorite saddle horse, Wild Air"
 While Jefferson was president he took horseback rides every afternoon, from 1 until o'clock. and he kept up this riding on horseback until within three weeks of his death. He was a bold and fearless rider. and delighted in riding alone. He kept, while In the White House, four fiery bay coach horses, but he seldom rode behind them.
 Jefferson liked horse racing" says Preston, "and he did not permit false ideas of official decorum to prevent his attending the races near the seat of government. The saddle was his test of horse and his rule in horse man. agement was to use force rather than patience. If his horse rebelled he thrashed him, and the battle never ceased until the animal had discovered which of the two held the reins."
 John Quincy Adams was entertained | by horse races, and he used frequently | to walk out to the Holmead race course, two miles from the White House, and back again when there was a race to | be held.
 Mrs Madison drove out to see the | -GAI- | and President Jackson not only went to the races, but he delighted in bet | ting on them. and now and then ran his own horses. While he was in the White House a colt of his was entered under the name of his private secre- | tary. Major Donelson, in a race for a stake of $10.000. but 1t was beaten by Commodore Stockton's Langford. Lang ford had been lame during the training and the Presidents horse was the fa- vorite. A great crowd of people at- tended the race and the annual ball | of the season was given that night. | The walls of the ballroom were found | ornamented with a fuli-length portrait | of Andrew Jackson's horse, so confi- dent had been his friends of winning | the race He was defeated. however and 1t Is said that the President lost nearly a thousand dollars by the re- | suit.
 l During Jackson's time the crime cf mail robbery was punishable with i'm | prisOnment or death. and a mail rob- Der named Wilson is said to have es- capped hanging through a singular ad- venture with General Jackson on the race course some years before. This was near Nashville, Tenn. Jackson | had bet on a horse which the jockey | had been ordered to make lose the race Wilson came to the General and gave him this information. Jackson then withdrew his bets. and promised his | informant that he would be his friend if opportunity offered. When Wilson was arrested for robbing the mails and found guilty, he reminded the Pres, ident of his promise, and Jackson par | doned him.
 Origin of His Duel.
 Jackson's duel with Dickinson had its | origin at the race course Dickinson was a negro trader and horse jockey He had bet with Jackson, and in the discussion regarding the settlement oi this Jackson and he became to blows Dickinson denounced Jackson as c coward, and Jackson challenged him In the duel which followed, Jackson killed Dickinson, but not before tho latter had shattered two of the future Presidents ribs with his bullet.
 Martin Van Buren had a fine turn out while he was in the White House
 His carriage was of a dark olive hue | with ornaments as bright as burnishet gold. He had a footman and coach man In livery, and he rode about 1T grand style.
 William Henry Harrison rode or horseback in his inaugural procession in imitation, 1t is said, of the Roman | emperors passing in state along the Appian Way.
 | President Tyler brought to the White House the customs of his old Virginia home. A gract deal of comment was made on one of his carriages, whicl was bought at the sale of the effect; of MT. Paulding, the Secretary of th' Navy under Van Buren. One day Tyler was out riding with his most in time friend, Henry A. Wise, of Vir' ginia. MT. Wise's carriage was smal and rickety one, and President Tyler characterized 1t as no better than { candle box ou wheels; whereupor Wise told Tyler that his carriage was. at least, bought frst-hand, anC that when he did buy one at auction he would see that the coat-of-arm' of the former owner was re moved from It's panels. Presi dent Tyler laughed at the reparte'
 and a day or two after that the coat
 of-arms of Secretary Paulding vas
 painted over, and that of President
 Tyler appeared in its place.
 President Folks EQuipnEe.
 President Polk kept carriage of
 dark olive, highly polished, and with
 gilt borders around the panel work
 The cushions of the interior were oi
 rich figured crimson cloth with lace